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Subject: Proceedings of the personal hearing given by Chairman of the Board on 23.04.2024 w.r.t show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 - M/s Avon Steel Industries Pvt Ltd, Vill. Mangli Nichi, Phase-Viii, Focal Point, Chandigarh Road, Ludhiana.
The following were present:
On behalf of PPCB
Er. G.S. Majithia, Member Secretary
Er. Pardeep Gupta, CEE, Ludhiana
Er. Paramjeet Singh, SEE, ZO-2, Ludhiana
Er. Samita, EE, ZO-2, Ludhiana
On behalf of industry
Sh. H.S Kalsi, General Manager
Officers of the Board brought out that the industry is a large-scale orange category unit and engaged in manufacturing of HR coils/sheets/strips/black tube and pipes.
The industry was earlier granted consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 dated 05.07.2022, upto 31.03.2024 and for production of HR coil/sheet/strips/ black tubes and pipes @ 600 TPD and for domestic Effluent @ 18 KLD (treated effluent shall be used for plantation/lawns/parks and sprinkling in coal handling section in place of use of fresh water. The industry will explore other areas for utilizing treated effluent from STP. Only surplus treated effluent after these activities would be allowed to discharge into public sewer). Consent to operate under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 was granted dated 23.06.2022, upto 31.03.2024 for one Oil fired furnace of 60 TPH capacity (Not in use), one gasifier basic furnace of 60 TPH Capacity and one incinerator of capacity 21 KLD and DG sets of capacities 1000 KVA and 320 KVA with canopies. These are provided with adequate stack height.
The industry has also obtained consent to establish (NOC for expansion) dated 25.06.2023, which is valid upto 14.05.2024 for manufacturing of Surface treatment through galvanizing for existing product tubes @ 120 MTD without increase in total production of 600 MTD, suitable and special conditions mentioned therein. The expansion w.r.t. above NOC is still in construction phase and it has not started any production activity for that.
Now, the industry has applied for renewal of consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 through OCMMS.
The industry was visited by officer of the Board on 15.02.2024 and it was observed as under:
1. The industry was in operation during visit and engaged in manufacturing of HR coils/sheets/strips/black tube and pipes.
2. The industry has installed coal gasifier to produce producer gas. The producer gas is used as fuel in reheating furnace. The industry has provided two stacks with reheating furnace i.e. one for natural draft and other for forced draft. The industry has provided sampling arrangements with both the drafts.
3. The stack emission samples from both the stacks has recently been collected on 07.11.2023 form porthole on its re-heating furnace 60 TPH. As per analysis report received from Air & Water Lab, Ludhiana, the concentration of SPM @ 30 mg/NM3 in induced draft stack and 8 mg/NM3 in natural draft stack was within the prescribed limits of the Board.
4. The industry has one oil fired furnace, which was not in operation during visit. As per representative of the industry, it is not in operation for a long time.
5. The industry has one incinerator for phenolic water, which was in operation during visit.
6. The industry has installed 02 DG sets of capacity 1000 KVA and 320 KVA with adequate stack height which are equipped with canopy.
7. The industry has provided Tarpaulin covers at the coal crusher disposal points to rest the coal dust emissions. The industry has also provided arrangement for sprinkling of water on regular intervals and has also maintained the log books w.r.t sprinkling of water in the coal handling area. During visit, no significant dust emissions were observed.
8. The industry is sprinkling treated effluent in the coal handling section as per its requirement.
9. The industry has installed 02 CCTV cameras, one for monitoring of stack emission and the other for coal handling section which was in operation during visit.
10. The industry has submitted that it has not generated any incinerable hazardous waste in the past and no incinerable hazardous waste found in the premises of the industry during the visit.
11. The industry is discharging its domestic effluent onto land for plantation after STP. The industry has installed STP to treatment for domestic effluent and same is being utilized for irrigation purpose within the premises.
12. The effluent sample were collected on 15.02.2024 final outlet of STP and as per the analysis results pH @ 7.9, TSS @ 84, TDS @ 628, COD @ 196, BOD @ 60, Oil & Grease @ 5.0, which are within permissible limit as prescribed by the Board for discharged onto land for plantation.
13. The industry is found complying with the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981.
The case was examined by Competent Authority and observed that:
1. The industry has not provided sampling arrangement and has not submitted the air emissions analysis report of the incinerator.
The industry is violating the provisions of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Accordingly, show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 was issued to the industry with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chairman of the Board 23.04.2024.
Sh. H.S Kalsi, General Manager of the industry attended the hearing and submitted a written reply which was taken on record. He stated that they have made the arrangements for the Sample collection system of the Incinerator and it is ready for the Sampling. He requested to the Competent Authority of the Board to take the sample and requested to grant the renewal of consent to operate under the Air Act, 1981.
After hearing, the manager of the industry, officers of the Board and considering the material facts of the case, the Chairman of the Board decided as under:
1. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office – 4 shall collect Air emissions sample and process the consent application on merits.
Submitted for confirmation of decisions of the hearing so that the same could be conveyed to industry and concerned officers for compliance of decisions, please.
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