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The use of water in industry depends on the nature of the industry. Thermal power plants, textile, paper and pulp, and iron and steel industries need maximum water. All the important thermal power plants of the country are under the control of the government.
On an average, thermal power plants having a capacity of 1,000 kilowatt consume 80 cubic metre water. Paper and pulp industry in India also consumes more water as compared to that in other developed countries. Textile industry is also consuming additional quantity of water. In most of the textile mills of India, water is not used for washing of clothes in the form of a continuous flow but instead fresh water is used at every level.
The Iron and Steel industry in India the country is much ahead of other industries regarding water consumption. About 80-85 per cent fresh water is used in it. In United States of America, however, 95 per cent fresh water is used in manufacturing of iron and steel.
Water Scarcity:
As a result of increasing demand of water in different industrial areas, a situation of water scarcity has been created, leading to closure of many plants in the year 2002. During that year, Harihar Poly-fiber Limited in Karnataka and Indian Rayon Plant at Nagda in Madhya Pradesh had to be closed down due to scarcity of water, during the summer season when scarcity of water occurs in rivers.
Community tension has also been created due to overexploitation of groundwater by industries. Effect of overexploitation and pollution of water is also being caused on water supply by agriculture and domestic sectors. In most of the industries there is no arrangement for treatment of water, hence fresh water is used at every stage rather than cycling the used water.
Cost of Water:
Low cost of water used for industries is also responsible for its deterioration. At many places cheaper water is made available by giving subsidy on it.
Three ingredients are important as regards cost of water:
First:
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Water tax should be paid to Pollution Control Board and its assessment should be based on quantity of waste water disposed off.
Second:
Water supplying agencies like the Municipal Board, Urban Council or the private sector should charge purchase price of water.
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Third:
At many places, river water or groundwater etc. is used without paying the cost of water. Only in urban areas is the cost of water recovered. European Economic Community and United States of America decide the cost of water on the basis of average cost or marginal cost.
In India, charges of water supply to industries are decided on average cost basis, whereas the fact that pollution of surface water and groundwater is caused by industries is ignored. Thus, no pollution tax or effluent tax is paid by any industry. Indian industries are taking advantage of this situation and are continuously causing quantitative and qualitative deterioration of water sources.
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, has studied the environmental effects of Indian industries through the ‘Green Rating Project’. Recently CSE has completed rating of paper and pulp industry. According to them, plants situated in water scarcity parts of southern and western India consume lesser water as compared to plants situated in water sufficiency parts in northern and north-eastern areas of India.
South Indian paper industry consumes about 160 cubic metre (M3) water per tonne of paper manufactured whereas the same industry in north India consumes 165 M3 water per tonne. Paper factories situated in northern India consume about 185 cubic metre (M3) water per tonne production of paper, whereas in north-eastern parts the same industry consumes 205 M3 water per tonne. It becomes clear from this analysis that there is no commonly agreed decided standard measure for consumption of water but it is consumed according to availability of water in the area.
Need for Government Policy:
So far no specific policy has been decided in India as to what should be the form of water in industries, how much tax may be charged and what should be the responsibility of industries as regards pollution of water. At present, light has been thrown only on public health and availability of water.
In industrial areas of many countries of the world, standards have been fixed regarding consumption of water. For example, in China, targets of consumption of water by important industries have been laid down. According to Water Conservation Agency Report of China, pressure was built for saving 6 billion cubic metre water in first water quota (quantity) by the year 2005.
Similarly, in developed countries also, policies have been decided relating to saving of water in industries. India has not framed any rule according to which the limit for consumption of water by industries might have been laid down. Though Central Pollution Control Board has decided the level of consumption of water for some industries but they are only recommendations.
They have not been implemented in legal form although some rules have, of course been framed as regards exploitation of groundwater. In our country, any person who is owner of a part of land is also treated as owner of the groundwater reserves under the land. In such a situation, one uses groundwater as per his requirement rather than consciously, by exploiting the groundwater.