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It is submitted that the rice sheller was granted consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/SGR/2020/13177508 dated 26/07/2020, valid upto 30/09/2029 and under the Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Renewal/SGR/2022/19785551 dated 20/09/2022 valid upto 30/09/2027, for manufacturing of Raw rice (Without sortex machinery and without dryer) @ 2.0 TPH by processing Paddy @ 3.0 TPH as raw material, with certain conditions mentioned therein.
The rice sheller was visited by the officer of this office during visit to the area on 03.01.2024 and found it has installed dryer in its unit without any permission. Therefore, the rice sheller was issued show cause notice vide no. 383 dated 06.02.2024 with an opportunity of personal hearing before EE, RO, Sangrur.
Further, the rice sheller was given personal hearing before EE, RO, Sangrur on 12.02.2024 and the decisions of the hearing are as under:-
1. The industry shall apply for obtaining varied consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 along with requisite certificate regarding designation of area, within 07 days, failing which further action u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 will be recommended to higher authorities of the Board.
2. Assistant Environmental Engineer-I, Regional Office, Sangrur shall visit the industry after a week to verify contentions made by the industry during hearing, collect air emission samples and submit fresh report in the matter.
Now, the rice sheller has applied for varied consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 for production of Raw Rice with Sortex machinery and Dryer) @ 2.0 TPH by processing of Paddy @ 3.0 TPH as raw material.
The rice sheller has submitted compliance report of the conditions of the consent earlier granted to it under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981. The rice sheller has submitted undertaking regarding installation of cyclone separator as APCD with Dryer Section.
The last consent fee deposited by the industry was adequate upto 30/09/2029 under the Water Act, 1974 and 30/09/2028 under the Air Act, 1981.
The industry has deposited Rs. 9690/- through online vide UTR No. 699895271 dated 02/05/2024 under the Water Act, 1974 & Rs. 9690/- deposited through online vide UTR No. 444090997 dated 02/05/2024 under the Air Act, 1981. The fee deposited is adequate up to 31/08/2029 (after deducting penalty fee amounting Rs. 1450/- under each act + NOC regularization fee amounting Rs. 1800/- and considering previous adequate fee) against the value of fixed assets of Rs. 27.99 lacs as per CA certificate dated 16/03/2024.
The rice sheller has submitted an undertaking that it has installed dryer in its existing premises and there is no expansion in the land area.
The industry has submitted Land Use Classification issued from DTP, Sangrur vide memo no. 283 DTP(S)/RSM-141 dated 23.02.2024, this sheller has been established in 1996 and site falls under MC limit. It is also stated in the above said report that this sheller has been adjusted as such as existing industry in the Industrial Zone as per Notified Master Plan Malerkotla and rice sheller is permissible in the industrial zone.
The Govt. of Punjab, Department of Science, Technology & Environment vide notification no 10/48/2004-STE-(4) / 932 dated 15/10/2013 has notified siting guidelines for new/existing rice sheller unit, which is reproduced as under for any expansion/modernization in the existing rice sheller unit.
“All the rice mills / saila plants located outside the Municipal limits of towns and cities and in the designated areas within the cities established with NOC of Punjab Pollution Control Board will be allowed to expand / modernize within their existing premises, if pollution load of existing unit has been effectively taken care of by the rice sheller and no specific approval of District Town Planner will be required.”
The Board vide its letter no. 9982-1003 dated 27.03.2018 has requested this office to strictly follow consent validity criteria as mentioned in the modified directions issued by CPCB u/s 18(1) (b) of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
To verify the compliance of consent conditions earlier granted to the rice sheller & the code of practice, the rice sheller is already visited by undersigned along with your good self on 08/05/2024 and it was observed as under : -
1. The rice sheller is located at Village Uppoke, Malerkotla, within MC limit.
2. The rice sheller was not in operation during visit.
3. The rice sheller has covered all the processing sheds.
4. The rice sheller has provided brick paved road from main gate of the rice sheller to the rice room/husk area for the movements of vehicles.
5. The rice sheller has provided separate Cyclone Separator as APCD along with stack of adequate height to control the process emission from shelling section as well as dryer section in its existing premises.
6. The dryer has been installed in the existing premises and there is no addition in the land.
7. The rice sheller has provided brick wall of 10 feet height in front of the discharge point of rice husk area and the length of aforesaid brick wall is 35' on each side of the rice husk discharge point. The rice sheller has provided jalli of 5 feet height above the brick wall in front of the discharge point of rice husk area.
8. The rice sheller has no source of trade effluent generation and the rice sheller has provided septic tank for treatment of domestic effluent to be generated from toilets / washrooms. It has also made plantation along boundary wall to utilize treated domestic effluent after septic tank.
Thus, the site of Rice Sheller is suitable for the installation of Dryer The rice sheller is complying with the code of practice notified by the Govt. of Punjab, Department of Science, Technology & Environment vide notification no 10/48/2004-STE-(4) / 932 dated. 15/10/2013.
No complaint is pending against the industry. The industry was found complying with consent conditions during last visit and consents were granted thereafter.
Keeping in view of above, if approved, it is recommended that varied consent to operate (CTO) under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 may both be granted up to 30/09/2028 (upto accumulative period), for the production of Raw Rice with Sortex machinery and Dryer) @ 2.0 TPH by processing of Paddy @ 3.0 TPH as raw material, subject to the suitable conditions and a special condition that the industry will got analyzed its stack emission sample from Board’s lab or Board’s approved lab in coming season.
Competency Environmental Engineer
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