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It is submitted that the subject cited industry was granted ‘consent to operate’ under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Varied/SAS/2019/8568630 dated 10.04.2019, which was valid upto 31.03.2024.
The industry was granted ‘consent to operate’ under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Varied/SAS/2020/12448556 dated 26.06.2020, which is valid upto 31.03.2024. Further, the industry was granted varied ‘consent to operate’ under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for operation of newly installed paddy straw based boiler of capacity 30 TPH vide no. CTOA/Varied/SAS/2023/20995662 dated 24.03.2023, which was valid upto 31.12.2023.
Accordingly, the industry was issued show cause notice for violation of the provisions of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 by this office vide letter no. 545 dated 07.03.2024, asking the industry to apply renewal of ‘consent to operate’. However, the industry has failed to apply for renewal of ‘consent to operate’ under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, till date.
Thereafter, the industry was issued show cause notice for violations of the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 vide no. 610 dated 03.05.2024, alongwith an opportunity of personal hearing before the Worthy Chairman of the Board on 15.05.2024 and it was decided as under:
1) On the basis of best assessment and judgement, an environmental compensation of Rs. 2.0 Lakhs be imposed upon industry for operating its unit without valid consents of the Board as well as the damage caused to the environment.
2) Environmental Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, SAS Nagar shall visit the industry personally and carry out complete auditing as well as verify the compliance of consent conditions made by the industry and thereafter, process the CTOs applications on merits.
3) Environmental Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, SAS Nagar shall initiate action against the concerned AEE of Regional Office, SAS Nagar who has allowed the operations of the industry (being 17 category industry too) even after expiry of consent to operate under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
4) Environmental Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, SAS Nagar shall supply the updated inventory of the industries in jurisdiction of Regional Office, SAS Nagar as on 15/5/2024 to Zonal Office-1, Patiala within 7-days. Environmental Engineer (ZP-1/1) shall examine the said inventory and issue show cause notice to the industries for not obtaining renewal of CTOs under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Now, as per decision no. 01 of the hearing, the industry has deposited EC amounting to Rs. 2.0 lakhs vide Head office R. no. 61/5589 dated 12.06.2024.
The project proponent has applied for obtaining renewal of ‘consent to operate’ under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for production of KRAFT PAPER @140 MTD, KRAFT BOARD @ 80 MTD and POWER (MW) @ 4.9 Megawatt, alongwith an requisite documents.
The industry has deposited Rs 528000/- vide UTR. no. SBIN524134820247 dated 13.05.2024 under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 of Rs. 528000 vide UTR no. SBIN524134821114 dated 13.05.2024, which is adequate upto 30.09.2028 (Considering of NOC regularization fee) for both the Acts against the increase in the fixed assets of Rs. 56.88 cr. to 75.66 cr.
Visit:
Accordingly, the site of the industry was visited by EE and AEE of this office alongwith ASO of the Board on 06.06.2024 and it was observed as under:
1. The industry is operational and is engaged in manufacturing of kraft paper.
2. The industry has installed one no. borewell for abstraction of ground water and has provided water meter with the same. The industry is maintaining proper record of reading of the flow meter and as per the records maintained the average data for past 02 months is as under:
a. May 2024- 453.72 KLD
b. April- 2024- 469.73 KLD
3. The industry has obtained permission from PWRDA vide letter no. PWRDA/1/03/2024/l2/297 dated 13.03.2024, having validity upto 12.03.2027 from abstraction from ground water to the tune of 13560 KL/month, i.e. 452 KLD.
4. The industry has installed an ETP for treatment of trade effluent being generated from its process. During visit, the ETP was found to be operational. The industry was found to be reusing its entire treated wastewater back into the process and thereby adhering to ZLD in its premises.
5. The industry has installed flow meters on the recirculation line on both the paper machines and is maintaining record of readings of the same. As per the record maintained by the industry, the details of recirculation of treated wastewater for past 03 months is as under:
Month Wastewater recycled in machine 01 Wastewater recycled in machine 02 Total treated wastewater recycled
March 2024 1149.7 KLD 2036.2 KLD 3185.9 KLD
April 2024 1184.9 KLD 2103.3 KLD 3288.2 KLD
May 2024 1305.7 KLD 1984.8 KLD 3290.5 KLD
6. The storm water drain was found dry.
7. The industry has installed one DG set of 160 KVA with canopy and adequate stack height and one DG set of 500 KVA with canopy and adequate stack height.
8. The industry has installed two pet coke fired boiler of 14 & 12 TPH steam generation capacity, which is equipped with multi cyclone followed by two stage alkali scrubber as APCD, however the same was not operational as the industry has installed new vibrator grate boiler of 30 TPH capacity based on paddy straw as fuel. The industry has installed ESP as APCD with the said new boiler of capacity 30 TPH.
9. The stack emission sampling of boiler of capacity 30 TPH was carried out during the visit on 06.06.2024 and the analysis results are tabulated as under:
Point of sample collection Parameter Results Prescribed Standards
From port hole on stack APCD of Boiler Furnace (30 TPH) Particulate Matter (mg/Nm3 12% of CO2) 108 150
From above, it is clear that the industry is conforming to the prescribed standards.
From above, it is clear that the industry is now complying with the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Recommendations:
In the above, if may approved, the industry may be granted ‘consent to operate’ under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 upto 31.03.2028, subject to suitable conditions and additional conditions that:
1. The industry shall operate its unit at ZLD at all times and shall ensure that entire treated wastewater is recycled back into the process.
2. The industry shall not discharge its treated wastewater onto land for plantation, at any point of time.
3. The industry shall install PTZ surveillance cameras at the lines carrying treated wastewater back for process & plantation area, within one month and shall connect the same is server of the Board within 15 days thereafter.
4. The industry shall maintain proper record of the freshwater being consumed in its process at all times.
5. The industry shall not discharge any effluent at any unauthorized place by any unauthorized means i.e. shall not discharge any wastewater in any drain / inland surface waters / drain/choe/nallah/ out side its premises/ onto land for stagnation at any time, under any circumstances.
6. The industry shall abstract groundwater not more than the quantity for which permission has been obtained by the unit from PWRDA for abstraction of groundwater and shall comply with the guidelines issued by PWRDA from time to time.
7. The industry shall ensure that due to operation of the project at the site, no nuisance for general public is created at any time and no public complaints are received.
8. The adequacy/ efficacy of the pollution control arrangements shall be the sole responsibility of the industry and the industry shall be bound to implement/ upgrade its pollution control arrangements as per the discretion of the Board to achieve the prescribed emission/ effluent standards, as amended from time to time.
9. The unit shall ensure that no nuisance is created in the vicinity of its premises from the operations of its service station. In case, any complaint is received against the unit, the Board shall be at liberty to revoke/ cancel this consent without giving any opportunity of hearing to the industry.
10. The adequacy/ efficacy of the pollution control and disposal arrangements shall be the sole responsibility of the project proponent and the project proponent shall be bound to implement/ upgrade its pollution control arrangements as per the discretion of the Board to achieve the prescribed emission/ effluent standards, as amended from time to time.
11. The Consent is being granted to the industry based upon the undertaking/ documents/ information submitted by it along with the online application form. The Board would be at liberty to take penal action against the industry and its responsible/ concerned person(s) in case information/document is detected as incorrect/false/misleading at any point of time.
12. In case the industry fails to comply with the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and/or any other environmental law applicable to the project and Rules, Circulars & Directions issued by the Board from time to time, action as deemed fit shall be taken against the industry.
Competency- Worthy Chairman of the Board, (Red-17, Large)
Date of receipt of case- 28.05.2024
Date of site visit- 06.06.2024
Target date of deemed approval- 12.07.2024 (i.e. 30 working days)
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