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).
Water being one of the key inputs for the pharma industry, its availability and recycling with efficient treatment technology is critical for the industry. “PETL and JETL are serving the purpose for time being, but this is not enough keeping in view of the large number of units in the state. Gujarat has 17 effluent treatment plants while AP has just two and this shows how backward is the state in pollution control initiatives by the government” said, the BDMA chief.
Further to this, availability of basic infrastructure facilities like land, water, power and common effluent treatment plants for pharma sector have come to a standstill in the state.
Apart from these problems, the small pharma units in the state are being now harassed by the officials from pollution control board (PCB). “PCB officials are taking action on small and medium scale units for allegedly not complying to pollution control norms, although most of them follow these rules. The government should understand that it is the duty of the PCB to coordinate with all the units and bring them together on one platform to resolve any issues pertaining to the pollution. Instead, PCB officials are resorting to corrupt practices and looting the small units,” Ranga Rao said.
Andhra Pradesh, during the last few years, had lost a revenue of Rs.36,000 crore worth of investments, because of the lackadaisical and step motherly attitude by the state government. Once being India’s top pharma hub, the state is fast losing its sheen with more and more pharma companies migrating to other low cost and cess free destinations like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh.