Lack of adequate waste water treatment plants hitting SME pharma units in AP

Hyderabad : Absence of appropriate and adequate waste water treatment technology is adversely affecting the pharma industry in Andhra Pradesh, especially the small units in the state. The state at present has only two effluent treatment plants, one at Jeedimetla namely Jeedimetla Effluent Technology Limited and the other at Patancheru Patancheru effluent Technology limited.

Industry leaders rue that over the past few years the state government had not shown any keen interest towards allocating land for setting up waste water treatment plants or common effluent treatment plants in the state. On the top of it, it is insisting that the small scale units to install their own water treatment and waste treatment plants. This is not affordable for the small units as each water treatment plant will cost anywhere between Rs.3.5 to 4 crore.

“Many of the smaller units are sending their effluents through tankers to the treatment plants. Pollution control board is charging very high fee for this and the smaller units are not able to bear this cost. Having realized this, some of the small pharma units have already installed low-cost waste water plants in their own premises,” said Ranga Rao, executive director, Bulk Drugs Manufacturers' Association (BDMA).