| File Note: |
It is submitted that the subject site industry was granted consent to operate under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/LDHKH/2023/22101545 dated 10/06/2023 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Renewal/LDHKH/2023/22101530 dated 10/06/2023, both were valid upto31/12/2023 for manufacturing of M.S Flat /ERW Pipe @ 50 MTD for operation of reverberatory furnace using Pulverized Coal subject to the suitable terms & conditions mentioned therein under Orange category. One of the special conditions is that the industry shall shift from its conventional fuel to cleaner fuel latest by 31/12/2023 or finalization of State Fuel Policy, whichever is earlier.
Thereafter, the Fuel Policy was notified by the Govt. of Punjab vide no. 10/64/2020-STE4/469 dated 04/10/2023. With the notification of the State Fuel Policy, the temporary relief extended to the industries for the usage of coal has become in fructuous and the same was issued by PPCB vide no. 347 dated 05/10/2023.
In compliance to the Fuel Policy, the industry has now applied for obtaining varied consent to operate under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for manufacturing of M.S Flat /ERW Pipe @ 50 MTD for operation of reverberatory furnace using PNG as fuel under Green category alongwith requisite documents and consent fee.
Now, the industry has submitted the CA certificate dated 31/03/2024, wherein, it has mentioned that the total value of fixed assets of the industry as on 31/03/2024 is Rs. 250.82 lacs with value of plant & machinery is Rs. 237.76 lacs. Accordingly, the industry has deposited the consent fee amounting to Rs. 42,000/- vide online R. No. 816473037 dated 18/06/2024 under the Water Act, 1974 and Rs. 42,000/- vide online R. No. 614983394 dated 18/06/2024& Rs. 10,600/- vide online R. No. 619386529 dated 25/06/2024 under the Air Act, 1981. As such, after adjusting NOC regularization fee amounting to Rs. 2200/- for increase in cost of fixed assets and deducting 25% penalty under the both Acts, the fee deposited by the industry under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 is adequate upto 31/12/2028 asper Board's office order dated 29/10/2018.
The industry has executed an agreement with M/s Think Gas Ludhiana Private Limited on 05/05/2022 for the supply of PNG.
To verify the contents of the application, the industry was visited by the AEE (OS) on 10/07/2024 and during visit, it was observed as under:
1. The industry is a steel rolling mill and was found in operation.
2. The industry has installed 1 no. reverberatory furnace and is using PNG as fuel.
3. The industry has provided interlocking tiles on the entry/exit point and on the vehicle movement area within the premises.
4. No water is used in the process, so no trade effluent is generated.
5. The industry has provided septic tank for the treatment of domestic wastewater and the same is being disposed off onto land for plantation after passing through septic tanks.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFF&CC) has issued a notification dated 07/06/2024 (copy attached), stating that the Standalone rolling or re-rolling or extrusion or piercing or forging or drawing units not involving any type of melting or pickling are exempted.
It is further submitted that the Govt. of India, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Deptt. of Water Resources RD&GR Central Ground Water Authority, New Delhi has issued directions u/s 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 vide letter no. CGWA-21/6/2020-CGWA-101 dated 06/04/2022“thatitshall be mandatory for the Project Proponent abstracting groundwater to obtain NOC from CGWA or the concerned State/UT Ground Water Authority as the case made be in the compliance condition in consent to operate and consent to establish issued by the State Pollution Control Board.” Accordingly, the Board vide letter no. 1955-57 dated 18/01/2023 has informed all the officers of the Board in continuation to earlier circular no. CEE(HQ)/2018/7956-84 dated 03/03/2018 and 768-97 dated 13/01/2021 to ensure the compliance of the said directions.
PWRDA vide notification dated 27/01/2023 has exempted units from obtaining any permission of the authority, which are extracting not more than 300 cubic meters of ground water per month.
In the subject cited case, the industry has mentioned ground water extraction @8 KLD. Considering 25 working days per month, groundwater extraction wills be 200 KL/month, which is less than 300 KL/month. As such, the industry does not required permission from PWRDA.
In view of the facts mentioned above, if approved, it is recommended that the varied consent to operate under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for manufacturing of M.S Flat/ERW Pipe @ 50 MTD may be granted upto 31/12/2028 with suitable conditions and additional conditions that:
1. The industry shall use only PNG and will not use any other fuel under any circumstances.
2. The industry shall comply with all the Rules & Regulation issued by the Board for such type of industry.
3. The industry shall maintain it's already stabilized its vehicular movement area within industry/entry/exit points, to suppress the dust emissions.
4. The industry shall install sensor/ hooting system to sensitize the labor/worker as and when there will be any leakage of gas occurs.
5. The industry shall depute skilled manpower to operate rolling mills based on PNG.
6. The industry shall ensure that it will not emit the black smoke under any circumstance.
7. The entrepreneur/industry shall obtain necessary statutory permissions /clearances from all other concerned departments.
8. The industry shall obtain NOC of the Board, if it changes any of its product/capacity of the plant. |
