Punjab Assembly informed about steps taken to prevent molasses leak from sugar mill

The sugar mill from where molasses had leaked into Beas river earlier this year and damaged the aquatic life has been asked to install steel tanks to prevent further spillage, the Punjab Assembly was informed Friday.

Speaking at the concluding day of the brief Winter session, Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria noted that the mill has been asked to provide for an impervious retaining wall around the Effluent Treatment Plant to ensure no leakage of molasses and that the design of such a wall be approved by the Department of Irrigation.

He informed the House that a fine of Rs 2 crore out of Rs 5 crore had been deposited by the private mill in Kiri Afgana village in Gurdaspur district.

Earlier, SAD MLAs Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal and Bikram Singh Majithia, through their calling attention notice, drew the attention of the House regarding alleged pollution being caused by the mill.

Earlier this year, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had imposed a fine of Rs 5 crore on the sugar mill from where molasses leaked into Beas river, causing massive damage to the aquatic life.

A large number of fish were found dead in Beas river on May 17 in Beas town, about 40 km from Amritsar.

The sugar mill needs to provide four additional steel tanks of 4,000 cubic metre capacity for storage of molasses before the start of next crushing season 2018-19, according to measures suggested by a Safeguard Committee constituted by PPCB.

Among other measures, the mill shall also prepare onsite and offsite emergency plans to mitigate an accident in future.

(With inputs from agencies.)