New Delhi, March 16 The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has taken note of a social media post alleging the discharge of untreated wastewater from the Okhla common effluent treatment plant into a nearby drain, prompting an inspection of the facility, officials said on Monday.
During the inspection on Sunday, samples from the inlet, outlet, and outfall were collected for analysis, they said.
Referring to the social media post, the DPCC informed that the outlet water did not appear visibly polluted upon inspection, as had been shown in the video.
"However, samples have been sent to the DPCC laboratory for analysis, and the results are expected within 3-4 days...The CETP operator informed that the incident occurred during the backwash process of filtration units, when a mechanical pump malfunction caused temporary flow of effluent toward the clear water tank," the DPCC said on X, adding that the defect was later rectified.
However, the committee informed that the inspection team observed certain operational deficiencies, including clogged bar screens allowing floating waste into tanks, inadequate sludge management, floating sludge in treatment units, and some filtration units being non-functional.
"Based on laboratory analysis of the collected samples, the DPCC will initiate appropriate regulatory action, including environmental compensation, if violations of environmental standards are confirmed," the DPCC said.
The committee informed that the CETP will also be directed to rectify the operational deficiencies, and follow-up inspections will be conducted to ensure compliance with environmental norms.