This story is from November 15, 2020

Vadodara: Toxic froth floats on Mahisagar river, GPCB begins probe

Froth floating on the surface of Mahisagar river for several kms on the outskirts of the city has raised serious concerns.
Vadodara: Toxic froth floats on Mahisagar river, GPCB begins probe
Samples have been collected from Padra taluka’s Dabka village
VADODARA: Froth floating on the surface of Mahisagar river for several kms on the outskirts of the city has raised serious concerns.
On Saturday, a thick layer of yellowish-white foam, believed to be toxic, was found floating on both the banks of the river after which environment activists along with members of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) rushed to the spot.

“According to locals this is a routine phenomenon that they are witnessing during every full moon and new moon,” said GPCB’s regional officer R B Trivedi.
“As per norms, the treated effluent should be discharged only during low tide so that the effluent reaches the deeper depth of the sea. It is quite possible that the discharge has not been done during low tide. If the discharge is done during high time, the foam would have floated from ‘J point’ on down stream of Sarod (Jambusar, in Bharuch district) and reached Mahi’s stretch near Vadodara,” he said.
Samples have been collected from Padra taluka’s Dabka village. “We are investigating into the matter,” said Trivedi.
“The situation has turned grave,” said activist Rohit Prajapati, “the river has been left polluted. The damage is irreversible.”
Prajapati said that there is no dispute that the Vadodara Enviro Channel Ltd (VECL) which is responsible for disposal of treated waste water of hundreds of industrial units in and around Vadodara through the 55 km long effluent channel project (ECP) has been discharging effluents into the Mahi estuarine of Gulf of Khambhat without meeting the prescribed environmental norms.

“This effluent is discharged into the estuary at ‘J point’ on down stream of Sarod (Jambusar, in Bharuch district). It is a matter of concern that from Sarod the effluent has reached Vadodara as the sea is not accepting the effluent. In other words, the effluent is returning into the river and polluting the entire river,” said Prajapati.
While terming it as contempt of court and violation of Supreme Court’s order of 2017, Prajapati alleged that this is happening as industries are no longer afraid of Gujarat government, pollution watchdogs like GPCB and Central Pollution Control Board or centre’s environment ministry.
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