Haryana pollution control board issues closure order against Sonepat mining firm
Virender Kumar, regional officer of the Haryana state pollution control board, said the mining period of the group was concluded in September last year and the company had applied twice to restart the mining activities but their proposal was turned down due to lack of documents.
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has issued closure order against M/s Ultimate Group, Sand Minor Quarries of Gyaspur Rasulpur sand unit in Ganaur of Sonepat for non-compliance of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. However, the regional officer of the Sonepat region of the pollution control board has asked the group to stop mining activities till issuance of suspension of closure orders but the mining was continued even after the orders were passed.
Virender Kumar, regional officer of the Haryana state pollution control board, said the mining period of the group was concluded in September last year and the company had applied twice to restart the mining activities but their proposal was turned down due to lack of documents.
“Even the pollution board did not give them approval but the mining activities continued there. Even a notice was served to the company but they did not respond to it,” he added.
According to the closure order, the company did not submit compliance with refusal of previous consent to operate (CTO). It has also not submitted the CTO fee under the Water Act and the Air Act along with the performance security after refusal of previous CTO as per board policy.
“The company neither submitted a sampling fee nor the latest analysis report of groundwater monitoring as well as ambient air monitoring for PM 10, PM 2.5, SO2 from the board lab. It has also not submitted six monthly compliance reports,” the order stated.
Sonepat mining officer Anil Kumar said they had received the closure order of the company on Friday evening and the mining was stopped. The pictures shared by villagers reveal that the mining was continued even after the closure orders.