UPPCB cracks down on illegal water filtration plants in Gautam Budhh Nagar

Noida/Greater Noida: The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has decided to crack down on illegal RO (Reverse Osmosis) water plants operating in Gautam Buddh Nagar district.

The Board has written a letter to the Electricity Board to disconnect the electricity supply to such illegal water treatment plants.

"Based on the complaint received through Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS), a drive was undertaken and we found a number of illegal water treatment plants operational in the city, which were running without taking any No Objection Certificate (NOC) or licence from the concerned boards. We have written to the Electricity Board to disconnect their electricity connection at the earliest. However, further proceedings will be taken by the pollution control board," said BB Awasthi, Regional Officer, UPPCB.

The complaint was made by Ramveer Tanvar, Environmental Activist and member of Social action for Forest and Environment (SAFE).

Tanvar told Millennium Post that there are over 2500 illegal RO water plants operational in various sectors and villages and are running without taking a licence of FSSAI and NOC from other concerned departments to use the ground water.

"These water filtration plants supply water across various offices and residential societies of the district in a 20 litres water bottle. Neither they have a licence of FSSAI nor do they have a NOC to use ground water. The water is also not safe to drink as they do not have a PH level mentioned on the bottle," claimed Tanvar.

As per the norms, an RO plant should have the certification from the Bureau of India Standards (BIS), a licence from the FSDA, besides a proper water harvesting system.

Tanvar further said that these plants do not have proper water harvesting system and they have wasted around lakhs of litre water daily in treatment process as well as other wastage.