The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on October 4, 2019, has issued a notification on guidelines for utilisation of Treated Effluent in irrigation.
The implications made by Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) that the industries are not discharging any effluent, either on the land or in the water body or at any other place increases the possibility of risks as the wastewater usage in agriculture impacts on human health. Thus, following guidelines are issued for the purpose of proper utilisation of effluent in irrigation:
1. The industry should tie-up with an agricultural university for advice on the utilization or the rate of application of the effluent for irrigation considering the agro-climatic conditions or should engage an agricultural scientist.
2. The industry should prepare a comprehensive Irrigation Management Plan (IMP) in consultation with the agricultural scientist or agriculture university or institute and submit the same to State Pollution Control Board (SPCBs) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC) which should verify the following while issuing Consent to the industry:
a. Areas to be covered under irrigation.
b. Survey or plot (khasra) numbers of land and their area covered in the scheme.
c. Written agreement with the farmers to bring their land under the scheme.
d. The quantity of effluent to be used in different periods of the year and crop wise.
e. The treated effluent distribution system and arrangement for low or no demand period.
f. Agronomic plan for effective utilisation of land.
3. The treated effluent should meet the norms prescribed for irrigation under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.
4. The command area for effluent utilisation should be as near as feasible to the industry in order to facilitate easy monitoring and effective control and should be analysed regularly
5. Reports regarding compliance of effluent quality standards and status of soil and ground water quality shall be submitted to SPCBs/PCCs twice in a year in first week of January and July.
[No. CPCB/IPC-IV/Irrigation/ 2019-20/7340]
