| File Note: |
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Sub: Proceeding of the personal hearing given before the Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-I, Ludhiana on 28.03.2023 w.r.t. show cause notice for violation of the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to M/s Mahajan Steel & Wire Industries, Rampur road near railway crossing, Doraha, Ludhiana.</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> </span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Following were present: </span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">On behalf of Punjab Pollution Control Board</span></u></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-indent: -27.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Er. Harinder Singh, Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-1, Ludhiana</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-indent: -27.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Er. Deepak Chadha, Assistant Environmental Engineer, Regional Office-1, Ludhiana</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">On behalf of the industry </span></u></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 9.0pt 36.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Sh. Amit Gupta, Partner</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 36.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> The Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-1, Ludhiana brought out that the industry is a small-scale red-category unit and was established without obtaining consent to establish of the Board. </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm .2pt .0001pt 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The industry was visited by officer of the Board on 06.01.2023 and observed that the industry is engaged in pickling and is using HCL. No record regarding generation and lifting of effluent was available at the site. Further, the effluent was found stagnated in a kacha pit dug adjacent to the shed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm .2pt .0001pt 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The industry has not maintained the record of lifting and generation of effluent, nor any measuring device provided at the source of fresh water, the industry is discharging its effluent by unfair means.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt; line-height: 115%; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The industry has applied for consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 on 13.03.2023 and the industry was visited by officer of the Board on 14.03.2023. During visit, it was observed as under:-</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry was in operation and is engaged in the manufacturing of Steel Wires of Different Dia.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry has installed 1 acid bath tank for pickling.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry has provided underground storage tank of capacity 10000 ltr for storage of spent acid.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry has made agreement with M/s JBR technology Ludhiana for lifting of spent acid.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry has maintained the record of generation, lifting and fresh water consumption.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The industry has removed all the shortcomings observed during earlier visit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm .0001pt 35.45pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There is no source of generation of air emission (except D.G set) and effluent is lifted by M/s JBR and domestic effluent is generated which is discharge onto land for plantation after septic tank.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt; line-height: 115%; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The industry is lifting its hydrochloric acid (HCl) based spent acid, which is hazardous waste defined under category 12 of schedule 1 of Hazardous and other Waste (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, to CETP operator at Focal Point, Phase-8, Ludhiana and said CETP operator is not having valid authorization for lifting of hydrochloric acid (HCl) based spent acid. The consents granted to CETP operator are also for receiving and treating the waste water from electroplating units only.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The industry was issued show cause notice for violation of the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 with hearing before the Senior Environmental Engineer on 28.03.2023.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; tab-stops: 36.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Sh. Amit Gupta, Partner of the industry attended the hearing and submitted written reply which was taken on record. He submitted that there are many units using HCl and are registered with CETP operator. He requested to grant consent to operate. The visiting officer was also present during hearing and he informed that the industry has now made compliance to the earlier violations observed during visit on 14.03.2023.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; tab-stops: 36.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> After hearing the industry, officer of the Board and considering material facts on record, the Senior Environmental Engineer of the Board decided as under:-</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 36.0pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 be granted to the industry upto adequacy of consent fee i.e. 30.06.2026.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 36.0pt;"><!-- [if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Environmental Engineer, Regional office-1, Ludhiana shall submit report alongwith recommendations w.r.t. disposal of hydrochloric acid (HCl) based spent acid to CETP operator through separate note.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Submitted for confirmation of decisions of the hearing and for conveying to the industry and Regional Office for compliance of above decisions, please.</span></p> |
