Holy dip in Sabarmati? Ahmedabad industrial units discharge wastewater despite notice

The fair at Vautha

By Rajiv Shah
In a sharp admission, the Gujarat government has said that most of the industrial units of Ahmedabad, as also the city's residential houses, discharge waste water in Sabarmati, polluting the river. Notably, the river’s 11 kilometre stretch in Ahmedabad, where the riverfront has been beautified, is sought to be projected as a model for the country as a whole.
In a notice to all the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), which discharges waste water, allegedly without proper treatment, the state government’s pollution watchdog, Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has said they should stop discharging through their mega pipelines into Sabarmati between November 8 and November 12, as it would “endanger the health of lakhs of devotees taking holy dip in the downstream at village Vautha.”
The notice, signed by BT Shah, GPCB in-charge, Ahmedabad (East), even as claiming that the waste water is discharged “after being cleaned”, wants CETPs to stop the discharge during the period as a major fair would take place during four days, when “lakhs of devotees would take a holy dip at the spot where seven rivers, Sabarmati being one of them, merge.”

Discharge into Sabarmati

Mahesh Pandya, director, Paryavaran Mitra, Gujarat’s top environmental body, even as making public the GPCB letter, said, citing facts he has dug out from official sources, “Despite the GPCB Ahmedabad’s CETPs have refused to oblige, instead continued to discharge waste water ever since midnight of November 7-8.”
Citing a factsheet of the CETP of the Vatva industrial area of Ahmedabad, set up by the Green Environment Cooperative Society Ltd (GECSL), a public-private partnership unit, Pandya said, the discharge of the “treated” effluent has continued to be sent into Sabarmati through its mega pipeline. “Notably, the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG’s) Gujarat reports have repeatedly drawn attention in detail about non performing of CETPs”, he added.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Hoping against despair after Myanmar President’s visit to India

By Nava Thakuria Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing’s five-day official visit to India from 30 May to 3 June 2026 drew attention both in New Delhi and in India’s northeastern region, where policymakers and residents closely follow developments in the neighbouring country. The visit was significant because it touched on several issues of mutual concern, including security cooperation, border management, connectivity projects, trade, and regional stability.

Beyond data: The economist who refused to remain in the ivory tower

By Vikas Meshram There are few people who are born into privilege yet choose to dedicate their lives to the cause of the poor. Jean Drèze is one such individual. Born on January 22, 1959, in Leuven, Belgium, into the family of a distinguished economist, Drèze has become one of the most influential voices in the study of poverty, inequality, and social policy in India. Having lived in India since 1979, he adopted Indian citizenship in 2002 and has since played a pivotal role in shaping some of the country's most important welfare initiatives.

Counterview

Search This Blog