Closure notices issued to 9 of 32 polluting bleach units in Panipat

In a major crackdown on industrial pollution, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has identified 32 illegal bleaching units in various parts of Panipat district. The Board has issued closure notices to nine units and show-cause notices to 23 others, all of which were found discharging untreated chemical effluents directly into drains or open land.

These bleaching units, engaged in decolouring waste textile material using acidic and chlorine-based chemicals, are operating without the Consent to Establish (CTE) or Consent to Operate (CTO) from the HSPCB and lack any effluent treatment facilities.

The crackdown was initiated following a February 2024 complaint by Delhi-based environmentalist Varun Gulati, who alleged that illegal bleach houses were functioning in rural pockets of Panipat. “These bleach houses use highly acidic substances and chlorine, and discharge untreated effluent into the environment, causing serious ecological harm,” Gulati said in his complaint.

The complaint listed locations, including Naultha, Dahar, Binjhol, Balana, Paldi, Kurar, Didwadi, Maandi, Israna, Gwalda, Pardhana, Chamrara, Naara, and other villages where such units were operating without oversight.

Responding to the complaint, Deputy Commissioner Virender Kumar Dahiya constituted a special task force comprising the Regional Officer of HSPCB, District Town Planner (DTP), XEN Water Services Division, and Tehsildars of Samalkha, Israna and Panipat. The joint team surveyed areas across Samalkha, Dahar, Kurar, Nara, and Israna, and confirmed the presence of 32 illegal units.

A senior HSPCB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that over 10 of these units are located near Drain Number-2, which flows into the Yamuna. “They are discharging untreated chemical water into the drain, directly contributing to pollution in the Yamuna,” the official said.

The HSPCB, in its report, labelled these units as a major source of drain and river pollution, and also flagged the presence of hundreds of other illegal bleach houses still in operation across the district. It has recommended forming a dedicated task force to inspect and seal remaining units.

“Closure notices have been served to nine illegal bleach houses, and show-cause notices have been sent to 23,” said Bhupender Chahal, Regional Officer, HSPCB. “We have also written to the DTP, Panipat, to take further action against these units,” he said.

Haryana Tribune