Chandigarh: The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has expressed serious concern over the growing environmental pollution caused by liquor factories, particularly distilleries, across Punjab. NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal stated that the chemical waste generated during alcohol production has emerged as one of the most dangerous forms of industrial pollution, severely affecting water bodies, agricultural land, and public health.
Satnam Singh Chahal said that the most hazardous by-product of liquor factories is spent wash, a dark and foul-smelling effluent discharged after the distillation process. This waste contains extremely high levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), which rapidly destroy oxygen levels in rivers, canals, and ponds. He warned that the release of untreated or partially treated spent wash has led to fish deaths and irreversible damage to aquatic ecosystems in several regions.
The NAPA Executive Director further pointed out that liquor factory effluents are rich in organic chemical substances, including residual sugars, proteins, yeast, and alcohol residues such as ethanol and methanol. When these chemicals enter water sources, they decompose rapidly, releasing toxic gases and making water unfit for drinking, irrigation, and livestock consumption. He added that such contamination directly impacts rural communities that depend on groundwater and canals for their daily needs.
Chahal highlighted that distillery waste is highly acidic due to the presence of organic acids, which degrade soil quality and reduce agricultural productivity. He said acidic effluents damage farmland, contaminate underground water, and create long-term environmental problems that are difficult to reverse. Farmers living near liquor factories are often the worst affected, facing declining crop yields and polluted irrigation sources.
NAPA also expressed concern over the presence of sulphates, sulphides, and nitrogen-based chemicals in liquor factory waste. These chemicals produce foul odors, release toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide, and contribute to the eutrophication of water bodies. In addition, trace amounts of heavy metals like iron, copper, zinc, and chromium accumulate in soil and crops, eventually entering the human food chain and posing serious health risks.
Another major issue raised by Chahal is the release of melanoidin, a dark-colored and non-biodegradable compound formed during fermentation. He noted that melanoidin blocks sunlight in water bodies, disrupts photosynthesis, and remains in soil and water for years, even after dilution or basic treatment.
Apart from water pollution, NAPA warned that liquor factories are also contributing to air pollution through the release of carbon dioxide during fermentation and harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from boilers. These emissions deteriorate air quality and increase respiratory problems among people living in nearby areas.
Satnam Singh Chahal urged the Punjab government and pollution control authorities to enforce strict environmental regulations, ensure the installation of modern effluent treatment plants, and carry out continuous monitoring of liquor factories. He emphasized that economic interests should not be allowed to override public health and environmental safety.
The North American Punjabi Association cautioned that failure to act decisively against liquor factory pollution could result in permanent damage to Punjab’s water resources, agricultural land, and the health of future generations. NAPA called for transparency, accountability, and immediate corrective measures to protect the environment and the well-being of the people of Punjab.