E-Paper
‘Polluting’ Zira liquor factory: NGT seeks reply from Punjab Chief Secretary
On a complaint filed by public action committee (PAC), National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to Punjab chief secretary and others in relation to a case of contamination of soil and groundwater by Malbros International Pvt Ltd at Zira.
On a complaint filed by public action committee (PAC), National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to Punjab chief secretary and others in relation to a case of contamination of soil and groundwater by Malbros International Pvt Ltd at Zira.
NGT has directed CS, Punjab and others to file a response within next two months and to appear personally via video conference on the next date of hearing scheduled to be held on February 23.
PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira, Amandeep Singh Bains and Engineer Kapil Arora informed that as per earlier orders of NGT, after receiving the letter from the office of DC Ferozepur, they visited and waited for more than two hours outside the Malbros factory premises on November 7, 2022 but the Joint Committee did not arrive. They received a message from the Tehsildar that they were in a meeting with DC Surabhi Malik.
Accordingly, they visited there and placed demands of inspection with equipment like bore detection machines and soil samples from different layers within the factory premises and surrounding areas. However, the joint committee refused to even visit the factory and asked them to sign the attendance sheet which was refused, said Khaira.
The Public Action Committee immediately filed an application on November 11 with NGT with all facts and circumstances and with prayer of re-constitution of committee from members outside Punjab and Chandigarh. Few days later, the Joint Committee too submitted a report. PAC members further informed media that since the matter is very serious and related to the environment of Punjab and health of citizens, they decided to appear before the NGT at Delhi.
Later NGT issued directions that facts and circumstances explained in the report of the Joint Committee is considered appropriate. The reply from State of Punjab through Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab; Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board; Executive Engineer, Regional Office, Punjab Pollution Control Board as well as the Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Punjab; the Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board; the District Magistrate, Firozpur and the Project Proponent- M/s Malbros International Pvt. Ltd., Mansoorwal Kalan, Tehsil Zira, District Firozpur is sought within two months.
PAC members informed media that since Ethnol has tendency to degrade within 20 days, and since the factory premises was un-operational for more than two months, the lab tests for samples of groundwater would not detect actual reason for contamination, however it can be done by soil samplings at different levels and different places within factory premises and surrounding areas.
PAC members further said that despite repeated submissions, the Joint Committee refused to conduct the inspection as per submission.
