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It is submitted that the industry is a small scale orange category unit and was granted NOC of the Board under the the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 vides CTE/Fresh/SGR/2021/17397279 dated 21.12.2021 for manufacturing of Thermocol @ 0.6 T/day by using Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) @ 0.6 T/day, as raw material with certain conditions mentioned therein.
Now, the industry has applied for obtaining fresh consents to operate under the the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 with requisite fee and documents.
The industry has deposited Rs. 39,200/- vide UTR no. 167423934 dated 03.09.2023 under the Water Act, 1974 and Rs. 39,200/- vide UTR no. 642620296 dated 03.09.2023 under the Air Act, 1981 against the gross fixed assets of Rs. 81.92 lacs as on 02.09.2023 as per CA certificate dated 02.09.2023, which is adequate five years after deducting penaly fee.
The industry has got analyze its air emission sampling from Board's lab on 02.11.2023 and as per analysis report received from Head office lab, the concentration of particulate matter (249 mg/Nm3) is found within permissible limits prescribed by the Board for such type of industry.
It is pertinent to mention here that a complaint was received against the industry and during verification of contents of complaint, the industry was found violating the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control) Act, 1981 as observed during visit by the officer of this office. Accordingly, the industry was given show-cause-notice alongwith personal hearing. And as per the last personal hearing given by the Board to the industry, the following decisions were made by the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) Patiala, which is as under: -
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 ie. M/s Shiva Packers Near KRBI, 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.
The industry has submitted bank guarantee having BG no. 0272-BG0008-23 dated 14.12.2023 amounting to Rs. 1,00,000/-, which is valid upto 31.12.2024 as an assurance to comply with the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
In order to comply with the hearing decision no. 2 & 3, the industry was visited by AEE of this office on 18.03.2023 and it was observed as under:-
1. The industry was found in operation.
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. However, it was not equipped with bag filter as APCD, although it is equipped with cyclone separator as APCD. Thus, it is not complying with one of the hearing decision.
4. The thermocol manufacturing is not covered under SUP. The thermocol used for decoration purposes has been banned. However, the thermocol manufactured by the industry is used for providing shield purposes.
5. The industry is generating domestic effluent from its kitchen & toilet section, which found discharged onto land for plantation after passing through septic tank.
6. It is also pertinent to mention here that the similar industries ie. M/s Shiva Packers Near KRBI, M/s Maa Ganga and Shri Ganga situated on Bardwal Road, Dhuri and Shri Ganesha near Vill. Kaheru will be visited in due course of time and further be processed through e-noting.
From the above, it is clear that the industry is not complying with hearing decision taken during the personal hearing held before the competent authority of the Board.
In view of above, it is recommended that the application for obtaining consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 applied by the industry may be refused and further action u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 may be initiated against the industry for closure of the unit.
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