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It is submitted earlier, the industry was granted Consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & the Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOW/Fresh/FDK/2020/11825855 & CTOA/Fresh/FDK/2020/11805469 dated 24.01.2020 for operation of biomass plant for generation of Electricity / Electric Power @ 18 MW by using Biomass (Paddy Straw) @ 17 TPH under red / large category in land area of 194 kanals 1.5 marlas with conditions mentioned therein, valid upto 31.03.2024.
Thereafter, the industry was visited by officer of the Board on 06.04.2022 and collected emission sample from the stack of boiler (80 TPH) and as per the analysis results, conc. SPM found to 56 mg/Nm3 against permissible limits of 30 mg/Nm3.
Thereafter, a complaint was received on 30.07.2022 regarding dead fishes in the pond of Jaitu town. Consequently, the site under complaint was visited by officer of the Board on 31.07.2022 and it was observed as under:
(i) The pond is situated in Jaitu town near Rambagh, Bus Stand Road.
(ii) About 20-25 dead fishes were found floating in the pond.
(iii) Nearby residents informed that the fishes die in every monsoon season and the dead fish currently found in the pond died about 5 days ago.
(iv) Heaps of fly ash mixed with some unburnt biomass/paddy straw were seen lying near one corner/side of the pond.
(v) Domestic sewage of the said area leads to the pond. Solid waste also found dumped in this pond.
Another complaint was received against the indiscriminate disposal of fuel ash by the industry in Jaitu town in open spaces / pond and other places causing nuisance, air & water pollution.
The industry was also visited by officer of the Board on 31.07.2022 itself and observed as under:
1. The industry was in operation.
2. The industry has signed MOU with contractor for disposal of its fuel ash and the same is being transported through the tippers. As per record maintained by the industry, 10-12 tippers lift about 15 ton fuel ash per tipper from the industry. The contractor is providing fuel ash to M/s Vijay Rice and General Mill, Bathinda Road, Jaitu (rice sheller unit).
3. During visit, the representative of the industry stated that the industry had disposed off fuel ash near the alleged pond in Jaitu town about 2-3 years ago. But, presently the industry is providing fuel ash to above said rice sheller through contractor.
The industry was issued show cause notice before revocation / cancellation of consents to operate under Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 with an opportunity of personal hearing on 08.09.2022, wherein it was decided that:-
1. The industry shall ensure the installation & commissioning of ESP with boiler to control boiler emissions, by 31/12/2022 and shall submit monthly progress report to the Board in this regard.
2. The industry shall ensure that no black smoke is emitted from the boiler stack at any time and shall achieve the prescribed emission standards at all times.
3. The industry shall ensure the disposal of fuel ash in an environmentally sound manner.
4. The industry shall ensure the compliance of conditions of environmental clearance obtained under the EIA Notification dated 14.09.2006 as well as 'consents to operate' and the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 at all times.
5. The industry shall ensure that STP will be installed and commissioned before start of occupancy in the labour colony.
6. Regional Office, Faridkot shall visit the industry immediately after stipulated period and thereafter, submit report / recommendations in the matter from time to time including compliance of EC &'consents to operate' conditions.
7. During hearing the representatives of the industry were made clear that in case of any violation due to indiscriminate disposal of fuel ash and / or non-compliance of any condition of environmental clearance / 'consents to operate', further action would be taken against the industry.
8. Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Jaitu shall submit detailed reply regarding discharge of any wastewater in the pond as well as disposal of solid waste, within one week.
Thereafter, the industry was visited by officer of the Board on 11.05.2023 and it was observed that:-
1. The industry has started the work regarding installation of ESP as APCD with the boiler and has yet erected steel griders for the same. The industry has not submitted any technical report w.r.t. installation of ESP nor has submitted any PERT chart in the matter.
2. During visit, the stack of the industry was found emitting black smoke intermittently at continuous intervals.
3. The industry has installed Online Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station; however the same is not connected with server of PPCB/CPCB.
4. The construction work of STP has been started, however neither the industry has submitted any technical report w.r.t. installation of STP nor submitted any PERT chart in the matter.
5. The green belt provided by the industry is not adequate as it has failed to develop 33% of the area under green belt in compliance to the condition imposed in the Environmental Clearance granted to it.
6. No in-house management of solid waste provided in compliance to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
7. The industry has failed to submit any compliance w.r.t. the conditions imposed in the environmental clearance regarding ash content, specific water consumption, ground water quality, CER activities, Energy and water audit, In-situ/ex-situ conservation Plan implementation & health etc.
In view of above, the industry was issued SCN for revocation / cancellation of consents to operate granted under the Water Act, 1974 & the Air Act, 1981 with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Hon’ble Chairman of the Board on 26.07.2023.
After hearing the representative of the industry and officers of the Board, it has been decided by the Hon’ble Chairman of the Board that:-
1. The industry shall ensure the installation & commissioned of ESP with boiler to control boiler emissions by 25.09.2023 and shall submit monthly progress report to the Board in this regard.
2. The industry shall ensure that no black smoke is emitted from the boiler stack at any time and shall achieve the prescribed emission standards at all times.
3. The industry shall ensure the compliance of conditions of environmental clearance obtained under the EIA Notification dated 14.9.2006 as well as 'Consent to operate' under the Water Act, 1974 & the Air Act, 1981 at all times.
4. The industry shall ensure that STP will be installed and commissioned well before the occupancy in the labour colony.
5. Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office, Bathinda and Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Faridkot shall visit the industry after one month to check the progress made by the industry w.r.t. installation / commissioning of ESP & STP and shall thereafter submit the report / recommendations in the matter.
In compliance to hearing decisions, the industry was visited by officers of the Board on 15.12.2023 and 01 no. air emission sample was collected from port hole on stack after APCD of boiler of capacity 80 TPH and as per analysis results parameter of Particulate Matter was found 45 mg/Nm3 at 12% CO2), which was found beyond the limit prescribed in the EC conditions.
Thereafter, the industry was again visited by Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office, Bathinda along with Environmental Engineer on 28.02.2024 and it was observed as under:
1. The industry is a paddy straw based power plant of capacity 18 MW.
2. The industry and boiler of the industry was in operation during visit.
3. The industry has commissioned it ESP as APCD in the month of Oct, 2023 as per completion certificate submitted (copy enclosed) by the industry. The ESP was also in operation during visit.
4. During entry as well as inspection period, the stack condition was observed almost clear to light grey (the pics clicked during visit enclosed).
5. During visit, fuel ash in wet condition was being filled in truck / tippers for using on to low lying area for filling. However, the industry is required to submit fuel ash disposal action plan with mechanism to track the outgoing truck on real time basis.
6. The industry has installed a new STP, but the same is yet not put into operation. The domestic effluent of the industry was being collected in the collection tank of STP. Representative informed that colony is yet not occupied and thus domestic effluent generation is very less.
7. The industry is also having existing septic tank, which was found filled with domestic effluent. Representative informed that they will transfer this domestic effluent into STP for treatment. After, this the existing septic tank shall be dismantled being not required.
8. The sludge drying beds are yet to be completed with media and treated domestic disposal network is also yet to be provided by the industry.
9. The industry has yet not provided 33% green belt in the premises to comply with the EC condition. Representative informed that due to objection by the adjoining farmers, some trees planted (existing) were uprooted / removed. Now, the industry is planting new plants to cover the 33% area as green belt.
10. During visit, it was observed that there is only one big patch of matured trees along one side boundary, some small patches and other patches with very small trees.
11. The industry advised to submit a proper site plan, showing green belt patches with giving area details and age of trees and no. trees per patch.
The industry has submitted point wise compliance of the observations of visited officers of the Board on dated 28.02.2024 and same is as under:
• As per consent to operate condition, the industry is required to develop plantation area its 33% of total area of the unit. In compliance to this condition, We have developed plantation area. Due to issues with the nearby farmers, another area of plantation has developed in compliance to the condition. Layout plan is enclosed herewith (copy of layout plan enclosed).
• Fuel ash generated from the unit is being lifted by nearby farmers and the contractor of the industry. As informed by the contractor, the ash is being disposed of into low lying area by ensuring 6-inch cover of earth so as to avoid its blowing during the winds.
• During the visit of officer of the Board, it was point out that we have provided septic tank near the sewage treatment plant. This septic tank is not being used by the industry. We have removed the septic tank. Whole domestic wastewater generated from our industry is being discharged onto land for plantation after treatment. No wastewater is being discharged without treatment.
• Sewage Treatment Plant is not be commissioned by us, as the quantity of wastewater is very less. Moreover, we have provided sludge drying beds as guided by the officer of the Board (photograph enclosed). Network has been laid to discharge the treated wastewater.
The industry was again visited by officer of this office on 22.03.2024 and it was observed as under:
1. The industry was in operation and the clear smoke was emitted from the stack of the boiler.
2. Fuel ash of the industry is lifting through covered tipper for disposing on low lying area. The industry is putting layer of fresh earth on the fuel ash to avoid its blowing, but the industry has not submitted any action plan for management of fuel ash and its disposal.
3. The industry has not commissioned its STP and untreated effluent was being collected into storage tank. The industry has provided the sludge drying beds with the STP. The industry has dismantled existing septic tank.
4. The industry is under process to plants the sapling to make the 33% area of total premises under plantation. The industry has submitted the layout plan for developing the area under plantation to make 33% of total premises. The work for providing network for distribution of treated domestic effluent of STP is under process.
In view of above, the action has been recommended through e-noting no. 19473615 against the industry.
Now, the industry has applied for renewal of consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 for production of electric power @ 18 MW using paddy straw bales @ 17 TPH as raw material (fuel) through OCMMS along with relevant documents. The detail of the case is as under:-
The industry has submitted CA certificate of Rs. 17060.3 Lakhs and accordingly deposited consent fee of Rs. 13,68,000/- (10,80,000 + 2,88,000 balance fee for last four years) vide UTR / Ref. No. 372487762 dated 16.04.2024 under the Water Act, 1974 & Rs. 13,68,000/- (10,80,000 + 2,88,000 balance fee for last four years) vide UTR / Ref. No. 656215445 dated 16.04.2024 under the Air Act, 1981, which is adequate upto 31.03.2029 as per Board's order dated 29.10.2018.
The industry has submitted emission analysis report issued by Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and as per analysis report of lab has collected sample on 27.03.2024 from the port hole on stack after APCD of boiler of capacity 80 TPH and as per analysis results parameter of SPM has been found 10.7 mg/Nm3, which was within the prescribed limit as per EC conditions. But the lab has not intimated this office before collection of samples.
The industry has submitted compliance of conditions of EC granted to it as well as conditions of consent to operate granted to it under Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.
The industry was again visited by Environmental Engineer along with undersigned on 25.04.2024 and it was observed as under:
1. The industry as well as boiler was in operation during visit.
2. The industry has installed ESP and same was also in operation during visit.
3. The stack condition was observed almost clear to light grey, during entry as well as inspection period.
4. The fuel ash was found in wet condition and was being filled in truck / tippers for using on to low lying area for filling. The filling site was also visited and observed that fuel ash was being used for filling low lying area (about 1.5 acres) with cover of fresh soil in village Bargari. The industry has also submitted agreement in this regard.
5. The industry has installed a new STP, but the same is yet not put into operation. The domestic effluent of the industry was being collected in the collection tank of STP. The residential colony of the industry is yet to be occupied, therefore, generation of domestic effluent is very less.
6. The industry has developed various pockets of green belt within the premises and as verified area developed for plantation is 6 acers. Moreover, the plantation at some palace is found not adequate i.e. there is requirement of making ridges & furrows. As per C condition the industry is required to developed green area in 8 acers land (33% of total premises area). As such 2 acres more developed in area is required to developed under plantation. Accordingly, the industry has submitted plan for plantation of 2 acers land area, which has been mentioned by the industry in layout plan.
The industry is complying with the conditions of consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 as well as conditions of EC granted to it except 33% area under green belt.
Keeping in the view of above, it is recommended that renewal of consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 may be granted to the industry for a period upto 31.03.2025 with suitable condition and specific condition that a suitable amount of Bank Guarantee as an assurance to develop 2 acres more land under green belt/plantation to made 33% area under plantation within the premises in compliance to the conditions of EC.
Application received – 16.04.2024
Deemed date – 30.05.2024
Category- Large/Red
Competency- Hon’ble Chairman of the Board
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