NGT panel slaps ₹1-crore fine on four Ludhiana units

The panel constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to check pollution in the Sutlej and Beas rivers has asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to slap ₹1 crore fine on four industrial units in Ludhiana for violating environmental norms.

The panel constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to check pollution in the Sutlej and Beas rivers has asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to slap ₹1 crore fine on four industrial units in Ludhiana for violating environmental norms.

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In its second executive committee report submitted to NGT recently, the panel headed by justice Jasbir Singh (retd) also questioned the functioning of some PPCB officials.

The panel recommended that the PPCB chairman impose environmental compensation amounting to ₹25 lakh each on Punjab Paper Mills Limited and Satkar Paper Mills Limited at Gaunspur village in Ludhiana.

It also asked PPCB to issue directions for closure of these industries as per the provisions of Water Act-1974.

The panel directed that environment compensation of ₹30 lakh and ₹20 lakh be imposed on the Megaline Enterprises and Aggarwal Scientific Dyers at Focal Point in Ludhiana, respectively.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST 2 OFFICIALS

It recommended disciplinary action against environmental engineer and assistant environmental engineer of the area for not reporting about the defunct status of effluent treatment plants of these two plants.

The panel also asked PPCB to issue directions to Hemkunt Coated Paper Limited at Humbran in Ludhiana not to operate its unit without making its effluent treatment plant and air pollution control device functional.

The panel had directed PPCB to increase inspection of industries and also asked the Punjab local bodies department to provide adequate funds for installation and upgrade of the existing sewage treatment plants (STPs).

The committee directed the Punjab local bodies department to make arrangements to provide adequate funds so that upgrade of STPs may be completed in a time-bound manner in Jalandhar and Ludhiana.

The panel directed that state agencies concerned install and commission STPs for the towns/habitation areas located in the catchment area of Sutlej in a time-bound manner.

It also rapped the water resources department for not submitting a progress report regarding desilting of Budha Nallah in Ludhiana.

The report said that PPCB should start monitoring of water quality of Budha Nallah on bimonthly basis.

The municipal corporation, Jalandhar, has been directed to close all the outlets putting untreated sewage of colonies into Kalan Sanghian drain.

The panel found that the water of Holy Bein (Kali Bein) can be utilised as such for bathing, but it can be used for drinking only after conventional treatment.

ORDER ON BADDI PLANT

The panel imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore on the operator of the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) at Baddi, saying it is not meeting the prescribed standards.

The panel said the plant degrades the quality of water of Sarsa river that further leads into Sutlej.

The panel said the earlier bank guarantee submitted by the CETP operator, Baddi, may be encashed in this regard.

Besides, it also directed the chairman of Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board to get a performance guarantee amounting to ₹50 lakh to ensure that CETP is upgraded to achieve zero liquid discharge.