| File Note: |
Subject: Proceedings of the personal hearing given by the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) of the Board u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as amended in 1988 and u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 as amended in 1987 to M/s Shiv Sharda Thermocol, Manwala to Benra Road, Opp. Ricella Health Food Ltd. Unit no. 4, Vill. Manwala, Dhuri, Distt. Sangrur on 23/01/2024.
The following were present:
From the Board:
Er. Amit Kumar, EE, ZO-II, Patiala
From the industry:
Sh. Yadwinder Kumar, Prop.
Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-II, Patiala brought that the industry was granted ‘Consent to Establish’ (NOC) of the Board vide no. CTE/Fresh/SGR/2021/17397279 dated 21/12/2021 valid upto 20/12/2022 for manufacturing of Thermocol @ 0.6 TPD by using Expended Polystyrene (EPS) @ 0.6 TPD as raw material with certain conditions mentioned therein.
A complaint was received from the local residents of the area regarding installation of boiler by the industry M/s Shiv Sharda Thermocoal, Manwala to Benra Road, Opp. Ricela Health Food Ltd., Unit-IV, Vill. Manwala, Tehsil Dhuri, Distt. Sangrur causing danger/ risk of fire in the nearby area from the operation of the boiler. Also, a complaint has been received from the office of Hon'ble Chief Minister, Punjab through Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur at Regional Office, Sangrur. To verify the contents of the compliant, the site under complaint was visited by the officer of the Board and observed as under: -
1. The industry was not in operation. The representative of the industry has informed that the proposed machinery has been installed and unit has been started on trial basis. The operation of the unit will be started after obtaining consents to operate of the Board under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.
2. The industry has installed 03 no. moulding machines for manufacturing of thermocol blocks / items.
3. The industry has also installed one no. wood fired boiler of capacity 2 TPH equipped with cyclone separator as APCD and stack of adequate height.
4. The industry is not generating any trade effluent. Domestic effluent is being discharged onto land for plantation after passing through septic tank.
Show cause notice for violations of the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 was issued to the industry vide letter no. 1209 dated 02/05/2022 to file written reply before the Sr. Environmental Engineer of the Board within 15 days from the date of issuance of notice.
The industry was visited by the officers of the Board on 02/09/2022. During visit, air emission sampling was carried out from the port hole on stack after APCD attached to Boiler of capacity 2.0 TPH. As per analysis report the concentration of particulate matter was found to be 532 mg/Nm3, which is not within permissible limits against the prescribed standard of 500 mg/Nm3.
The industry has failed to comply with the conditions of NOC granted to it, has commissioned the unit without obtaining consents to operate of the Board as required under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and was not achieving the prescribed standards for stack emissions. Thus, violating the provisions of the said Acts and causing pollution in the area intentionally & deliberately.
Accordingly, show cause notice for violations of the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 was issued to the industry with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Sr. Environmental Engineer on 04/09/2023, postponed to 05/09/2023, due to administrative reasons.
Sh. Yadwinder Kumar, Prop. of the industry attended the personal hearing and stated that the industry has applied for consents to operate of the Board under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The internal pipeline of the APCD got damaged during the trial runs, which has been rectified. He further requested to re-monitor of the stack emission.
After hearing the officer of the Board, representative of the industry Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-II, Patiala decided that :
1. The industry shall apply for consents under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 within 7 days.
2. The industry shall submit a bank guarantee amounting to Rs. 1.0 lakh within 7 days at Regional Office, Sangrur as an assurance to comply with environmental laws.
3. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Sangrur shall visit the industry, carryout stack emission monitoring and process the consent applications of the industry on merits.
In compliance to decision of the personal hearing, the site of the industry was visited by the officer of the Board on 02/11/2023. But, the industry has not deposited the bank guarantee of Rs. 1 lacs. As per the decision of personal hearing and has not applied for consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
The industry is not complying with the conditions of NOC granted to it under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and operating its unit without obtaining Consents to operate of the Board as required under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Also, the industry has failed to comply with the decisions of personal hearing given to it before the Sr. Environmental Engineer on 05/09/2023 Thus, the industry is violating the provisions of the said Acts and causing pollution intentionally & deliberately in the vicinity.
Accordingly, notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as amended in 1988 and u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 as amended in 1987 has been issued to the industry proposing for closure of the unit with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer on 22/01/2024., which was held on 23/01/2024, due to administrative reasons.
The Representative of the industry attended the hearing and stated that they have applied for Consents for Water and Air as well as Bank Guarantee of 1 Lac INR has already been submitted with the RO, Sangrur on 18/12/2023. Moreover, as per analysis report the SPM level was found within permissible limits. He further requested to drop the notice.
After hearing the officers of the Board and representative of the industry and considering the above mentioned facts, Chief Environmental Engineer (B) Patiala decided that :
1. The industry shall add bag filters of adequate capacity to its APCD, so as to minimize the chances of black smoke within one month.
2. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Sangrur shall verify, as to whether the thermocol manufacturing is permissible as per Plastic Waste Management Rules and as per the ban on single use plastic items. He shall also clarify as to whether, the product manufactured by the industry is covered/ included in single use plastic items banned by the Govt. of India and shall process the consents to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 applied by the industry accordingly.
3. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Sangrur shall visit the similar industries i.e. M/s Shiva Packers Near KRBL, M/s Maa Ganga and Shri Ganga situated on Bardwal Road, Dhuri and Shri Ganesha near Vill. Kaheru and shall submit report/ recommendations, within 15 days, so that further action may be taken.
If approved, the proceedings may be conveyed to the industry as well as Regional Office for ensuring compliance, please. |
