according to the National Environment Engineering Research Institute ( neeri ), Nagpur, the Betwa river in the state of Madhya Pradesh is highly polluted. Tests conducted recently by neeri have revealed that the water quality of the river is so bad that it cannot be used for even irrigation purposes. Samples collected from the river indicate that the pollution is due to the discharge of waste-water from a distillery unit.
The neeri report on these tests suspects that the water quality in the Betwa river was getting deteriorated by the discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater from Som Distillery unit during the monsoon season. The report reveals that the water quality of Betwa river does not conform to any of the five classifications of inland surface water quality of the Central Pollution Control Board. The accusation against Som Distillery is that it was neither regulating the specially constructed lagoons nor did it install a secondary treatment plant for wastewater. The issue was raised in the state assembly where legislators alleged that the water supply from the Betwa river had been disrupted due to this.
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