Pollution board’s new fee rattles industries
The Haryana Pollution Control Board's decision to impose 'performance security deposit' on industrial units has not gone down well with small and medium industries in the city.
The Haryana Pollution Control Board's decision to impose 'performance security deposit' on industrial units has not gone down well with small and medium industries in the city.
According to the board officials, the new security deposit would be in the form of an unconditional bank guarantee — 0.25% of the total capital investment, including on land and building. This has been imposed to ensure strict compliance of pollution norms. The board officials said in case a company violates pollution laws or fail to comply with the guidelines, the performance security would be forfeited besides other punitive actions under the law.
"This will ensure regular operation of the pollution control devices by industrial units," said a senior official of the board.
The Gurgaon Industrial Association (GIA), in a statement, said, "The pollution control board has already stipulated strict compliance standards and any additional financial burden on the industries in the present circumstances of slowdown would further push them under strain."
The Udyog Vihar Chamber of Industries has also come down heavily on the board's plan. "There is a need for clarification on the inclusion of cost of land and building on the security deposit."
The board's decision to classify industries under Red, Orange and Green categories has further infuriated the industrialists. The Red category is highly polluting industries; Orange is moderately polluting ones while Green indicates least polluting units.
"According to the Central Pollution Control Board, only 26 kinds of industries — leather, chemicals and other polluting units — fall in the Red, Orange and Green categories. It needs to be clarified if the revised list is in conformity with that of Central Board norms," said a member of the Udyog Vihar Chamber of Industries.