| File Note: |
Subject: Proceedings of the personal hearing given to M/s Tara Automobiles, Malout-Sri Ganga Nagar Bye-pass Road, Abohar, Distt. Fazilka before refusal of consents to operate under the provisions of Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 by the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) on 23.01.2024.
The following were present:
From Board's side:
Er. Rakesh Kumar, SEE, ZO, Bathinda
From agency side:
Sh. Lakhwinder Singh, Manager
It was brought out that the industry is an automobile service station and was granted consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 on 03.11.2017 (valid upto 30.09.2018).
The renewal of consents to operate applied by the automobile service station under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 were refused on 25.02.2021 due to violations mentioned therein.
The automobile service station was issued show cause notice with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Senior Environmental Engineer of the Board on 25.02.2022, wherein it was decided that:-
a) The automobile service station shall submit a bank guarantee amounting to Rs. 1.0 lac in the attached performa within one week in the Regional Office of the Board, as an assurance to upgrade its existing effluent treatment plant by 31.03.2022 so as to achieve the effluent standards prescribed by the Board.
b) The automobile service station shall not operate its washing section till the upgradation of the effluent treatment plant.
c) The automobile service station shall apply for obtaining consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 along with authorization under the Hazardous & Other Waste Management Rules, 2016 within one month.
Due to non-compliance of the decisions of the hearing dated 25.02.2022, another opportunity of personal hearing was given to the automobile service station before the Senior Environmental Engineer on 20.06.2022, wherein it was decided that:-
(i) The automobile service station shall submit bank guarantee amounting to Rs. 1.0 lac as per decision of the hearing dated 25.2.2022, within one week in the Regional Office of the Board under intimation to this office.
(ii) The automobile service station shall apply for obtaining consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 along with authorization under the Hazardous & Other Waste Management Rules, 2016 within one week.
(iii) During hearing, it was made clear to the representative of the automobile service station that in case of non-compliance of decisions of the hearing within stipulated period, further action as deemed fit shall be initiated under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974, the Air Act, 1981 and / or the HOWM Rules, 2016.
The automobile service station was visited by officer of the Board on 27.07.2022 and observed as under:-
(i) The industry as well as washing section was in operation.
(ii) The automobile service station has not provided flow meter at the outlet of ETP and no record regarding the same has been maintained.
(iii) The automobile service station has neither submitted bank guarantee nor applied for consent to operate under the provisions of Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.
The automobile service station was issued notice u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of Air Act, 1981 with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) of the Board on 17.10.2022, wherein it was decided that:-
1. The automobile service station shall submit bank guarantee amounting to Rs. 1.0 lac as per decision of the hearing dated 25.2.2022, within one week in the Regional Office of the Board under intimation to this office.
2. The automobile service station shall apply for obtaining consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 along with authorization under the Hazardous & Other Waste Management Rules, 2016 within one week.
3. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office shall process the consent applications to be submitted by the automobile service station on merits.
Now, the automobile service station has applied for obtaining renewal consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & the Air Act, 1981.
The automobile service station was visited by the officer of the Board on 04.01.2024 and observed that:-
1. The automobile service station as well as washing section was in operation.
2. The effluent after treatment is discharged onto land for plantation in an area of about 01 kanal adjacent to its premises, however the planation area is not properly maintained.
3. Flow meter provided with the ETP is out of order. No record maintained regarding operation of the ETP.
4. The automobile service station has installed in-built filters as APCD with the painting booth, however stack of adequate height has not been provided with the same.
5. The automobile service station has provided separate room for storage of hazardous waste; however no record of the hazardous waste generation as well as its disposal is maintained. No agreement executed with any authorized hazardous waste disposal facility. Further the agency has failed to apply/obtain authorization under the HOWM Rules, 2016 till date.
6. The automobile service station has submitted Bank Guarantee in compliance to the decision of the personal hearing, however same has expired on 18.10.2023 and renewed bank guarantee has not submitted by the agency till date.
In view of above, show cause notice before refusal of consents to operate under the provisions of Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 has been issued to the automobile service station with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer on 23.01.2024.
During hearing, the representative of the automobile service station submitted that the plantation area has been properly maintained, flow meter is now in order, stack provided upon the painting booth and requested for some time period to apply for obtaining authorization under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and to submit the extended bank guarantee.
After hearing the representative of the automobile service station and officer of the Board, the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) decided that:-
1. The agency shall ensure to remove all the shortcomings observed during visit by the officer of the Board on 04.01.2024.
2. The agency shall submit the extended bank guarantee of Rs. 1.0 lac, within 07 days.
3. The agency shall apply for obtaining authorization under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, within 07 days.
4. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Faridkot shall visit the agency and process the applications applied by it under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 on merit.
Submitted for confirmation of the decisions of proceedings of hearing dated 23.01.2024, please. |
