Lucknow, Oct 22 (UNI) The pollution control authorities on Monday asked the sugar mills and distilleries of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that the effluent treatment plants are in order and commissioned before the start of the sugarcane crushing season for 2018-19, commencing from November.
The mills have been directed to ensure that the untreated effluent is not discharged in the water bodies. The UP Sugar Mills Association had organised a one-day interactive meet 'sugar industry and environment' on compliance related to environment, here.
Ashish Vidyarthi of the Central Pollution Control Board asked the sugar mills particularly those also having the distilleries to stabilize the Effluent treatment plants (ETP) in their respective mills before the start of the sugarcane crushing season and also set up environment management cell. He said none of the sugar mill has a trained ETP operator and plants are being run by unskilled labour on adhoc basis. He said each sugar mill should have 4-5 ETP operators and should be trained from ITI and also be imparted training by the sugar mill management.