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It is submitted that earlier, the industry was granted Consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/BTI/2020/11904082 & CTOA/Renewal/BTI/2020/11903855 dated 11.02.2020, valid upto 02.08.2020, for production of furnace oil @ 4 TPD as a product and carbon black @ 3 TPD, steel wire @ 1 TPD and methane gas @ 1 TPD as by-products using waste rubber as raw material in one no. reactor of capacity 10 TPD subject to specific conditions mentioned as under: -
1. The industry will comply with the guidelines dated 15.10.2014 issued by the Govt. and SOPs prescribed by MoEF&CC for such type of units and will not rec-commission its operation without complying with the said guidelines/SOPs.
2. The industry will ensure that the initial heating of the reactor carried out by the liquid/gas fuel only and not with the wood.
3. The industry shall get its emission sample analyzed from the Board’s lab/approved lab of the Board, within two months.
Afterthat, the industry was visited by Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office, Bathinda along with EE, ZO, Bathinda on 29.11.2021 and found that the industry was not complying with the SOPs prescribed by MoEF&CC for such type of units/guidelines dated 15.10.2014 of the State Govt. and was operating without valid consents of the Board.
Accordingly, the industry was issued notice u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 & u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 with an opportunity of personal hearing Chief Environmental Engineer (B) on 23.12.2021, which was attended by Sh. Raman Singla representative of the industry. After hearing, the officers of the Board and representative of the industry, Chief Environmental Engineer (B) has decided that Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Bathinda shall immediately visit the industry to verify compliances / submissions made by the industry and thereafter submit report / recommendations including complete details whether the industry has taken pollution control measures in accordance with order dated 15.10.20214 notified by the Govt. for such units.
The industry was visited by AEE of this office on 1.10.2022 and it was observed that the industry still not complying with the provisions of Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 & SOP for such units.
Notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & 31-A of Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 issued to the industry vide this office letter no. 5310 dated 07.11.2022 and also show cause notice for refusal of consents to operate under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 issued to the industry vide this office letter no. 5308 dated 07.11.2022 with an opportunity of personal hearing on 17.11.2022 before the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) of the Board, which was attended by Sh. Sunil Kumar, representative of the industry and submitted written reply of show cause notice issued and stated that the incompletions pointed out by the Board have been removed in all respects and requested for grant of consents.
After hearing the representative of the industry and officer of the Board, it has been decided by the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) that RO shall immediately visit the industry to verify the submissions / compliances made by the industry and thereafter, submit afresh report alongwith recommendations within one week for disposal of pending consent applications.
On the same time, the industry had applied for obtaining renewal of consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981, which was refused on dated 15.12.2022.
The industry was issued directions u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 & u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 vide no. 5972 dated 15.12.2022 that the industry shall not re-start its manufacturing activities without obtaining CTO under Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.
The industry was visited on 20.10.2023 and was found in operation without obtaining CTO from the Board and despite issuance of the directions.
Further, notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 issued to the industry vide this office letter no. 3698 dated 12.12.2023 with an opportunity of personal hearing on 20.12.2023 before the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) of the Board.During hearing, the matter was deliberated that the industry was found violating during the visit of the officers of the Board on 29.11.2021, 01.10.2022, 03.11.2022, 08.12.2022 and again on 20.10.2023. Moreover, the industry was found violating the directions issued by the Board vide its letter no. 5972 dated 15.12.2022 u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 & u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 and also the industry was found in operation without valid consents to operate of the Board under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.
Accordingly, directions u/s 33- A of Water Act, 1974 & u/s 31- A of Air Act, 1981 were issued to the industry vide 1509 & 1507 dated 27.3.2024 with directions to PSPCL vide no. 1511-12 dated 27.3.2024 to disconnect the electric supply available to the industry.
Now, the industry has applied for obtaining fresh consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 for production of furnace oil @ 4 TPD as a product and carbon black @ 3 TPD, steel wire @ 1 TPD and methane gas @ 1 TPD as by-products using waste rubber as raw material.
The industry has already deposited the fees Rs. 32400/- vide UTR. No.
N276222144927755 dt. 04.10.2022 under Water Act, 1974 and Rs. 32400/- vide online UTR No. N283222155042806 dated 10.10.2022 under the Air Act, 1981 to make it adequate upto 30.06.2025 as per the Board's office order dated 29.10.2018 against fixed assets of Rs. 50.32 lacs as per the CA certificate dated 03.10.2022
The industry was visited by AEE of this office on 07.06.2024 and it was observed as under-
1. The industry was not in operation during visit.
2. The electric connection of the industry was found disconnected.
3. Alkali wet scrubber installed as APCD with the reactor was in line and the industry has repaired the pipe for connection of the same with ID fan.
4. No gas/liquid fuel was observed inside the industry and instead large quantity of wood was stored inside the industrial premises.
5. The industry has provided underground room type storage for the carbon with facility to fill the bags through screw however the same was in operation-able condition
6. The industry has provided flare near to the processing shed and the same has been provided since the commissioning of the industry.
7. Septic tank has been installed for the treatment of domestic effluent.
8. Housekeeping was found satisfactory as the industry was lying closed.
9. The fresh plantation has been provided along the boundary of the industry.
10. The industry has submitted record of the purchase of the raw material.
11. Failed to produce any record regarding the wastewater generated from the oil water separator and also no provision provided to mix the same with the carbon powder.
12. The industry has not submitted any certificate issued by the concerned department w.r.t. the safety measures adopted by it as per the policy dated 15.10.2013 of the Govt. of Punjab.
The industry has submitted the compliance of SOPs prescribed by MoEF& CC for such type of units/guidelines dated 15.10.2014.
Keeping in view of above, the industry is complying with the provisons of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 as well as the SOPs prescribed by MoEF& CC for such type of units/guidelines.
It is therefore recommended as following-
1. Consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 may be granted to the industry for six months for production of furnace oil @ 4 TPD as a product and carbon black @ 3 TPD, steel wire @ 1 TPD.
2. Directions u/s 33-A of Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of Air Act, 1981 may be issued to the PSPCL authorities to temporarily restore / release the electric connection of the industry for six months.
Date of Application received – 27.05.2024
Date of Application Deemed – 17.06.2024
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