Amid the ongoing protest by villagers from surrounding areas alleging industrial pollution, the Punjab Pollution Control Board has summoned an ethanol factory, based in Sangrur’s Jahangir village, for a hearing in Patiala on October 22 over alleged environmental violations.
Through a notice, the management of Harp Chemicals Private Limited has been asked to show cause why appropriate action in accordance with the law’s provisions should not be taken.
The notice added that in the case the firm fails to appear before the competent authority, it will be presumed that it has nothing to state in the matter and appropriate legal action will be taken without any further notice. Harp Chemicals Private Limited is a large-scale ethanol industry that manufactures 125,000 litres of ethanol per day.
PPCB executive engineer Rohit Singla said the notice was issued as the factory was found to be violating zero liquid discharge.
According to the notice, the factory was discharging wastewater/leachate outside its premises in the form of wet boiler ash through loaded wet boiler ash tippers in violation of the Water Act, 1974.
“Further, the industry is also violating conditions stipulated in its Environmental Clearance granted to it, particularly with regard to the requirement to maintaining zero liquid discharge,” adds the October 8 notice.
{{/usCountry}}“Further, the industry is also violating conditions stipulated in its Environmental Clearance granted to it, particularly with regard to the requirement to maintaining zero liquid discharge,” adds the October 8 notice.
{{/usCountry}}Villagers, including members of different unions, have been protesting outside the factory’s main gate since Wednesday and also blocked Dhuri-Sherpur road, prompting police to divert traffic.
Jaspal Jassa, a protester, alleged that ash from the factory was settling on their houses and crops, causing various ailments. He claimed that a farmer’s crop on around 3 acres had been damaged solely due to the ash.
Another protester Gurkirtan Singh said stench from the factory spread 6 to 7 km beyond the village.
Pushpinder Singh, the firm’s managing director, claimed they will revert to the PPCB notice as they were following all environmental norms.
He said there was greenery all around the factory and no one ever complained. “If there was a problem, it would have first polluted the factory’s water or the adjacent residents’ water, but that has never occurred.”
Alleging political or personal motives behind the villagers’ protest, he said before establishing the industry here, they obtained a no-objection certificate from the gram panchayat of Jahangir village, which was signed by panchayat members and sarpanches from 25 to 30 villages, including those from kisan unions after proper discussions.