MARGAO
In what is seen as an attempt that may help check pollution by the fish meal and processing units and at the same time reduce the water requirements at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, treated effluent water from the fish meal and fish processing units was on Thursday supplied to the steel units.
While the fish meal plant United Marine Ltd and fish processing unit Quality Foods have started supplying the treated water to the steel units, Cuncolim Industries Association President Abhay Keni has exuded confidence that other fish processing units will follow suit after upgrading their Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs).
Keni pointed out that steel units at the Cuncolim Industrial estate require around 700 kilolitres of water on average per day and the requirement is met by tankers supplying water to the IDC. On the other hand, the fish meal and fish processing units use around 500 kilolitres of water every day, which is either released or used for gardening.
“This is just the beginning of the journey which will help cap pollution. The water supplied by the fish meal and processing units does not contain any BOD and COD. That the steel units have accepted the water after testing in their laboratories shows that the treated water from the fish units can be recycled by the steel units,” he said.
“The fish meal and fish processing units require around 500 kilolitres of water every day depending on the supply of fish. Though the water is used for cleaning the fish, the water contains effluents which are more dangerous compared to the fish water generated in households,” he added.
Conceding that the steel industry had expressed its initial apprehensions and reservations over the proposal to accept water from the fish units, Keni said the steel units are now ready to accept the treated water from the fish plants. “By the New Year, maybe the remaining fish units will join in supplying their treated water to the steel units,” he added.
To a question, the Cuncolim Industries Association’s president said the decision to upgrade the ETPs and supply the treated fish water to the steel units was taken after a brainstorming session at the initiative of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira, and officials of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation.
“Earlier, we had been using the water to support green forestry in the IDC since we had planted around 5000 trees. But, we found excess water and hence a proposal was mooted to treat the fish water and supply the same to the steel units. The treated water may not be potable, but it can be used by the steel units for cooling of slags, besides controlling dust, etc.”
Usman Khan of Quality Foods said the fish processing units have been supplying treated water to a steel unit around 2-3 times a day. “We have upgraded our ETP with the permission of the authorities. Around 2000 litres of treated water is supplied to the steel unit,” he added.
