| File Note: |
Subject: Proceedings of the personal hearing given to M/s The Fazilka Co-Operative Sugar Mills Ltd., Village Bodiwala Pitha, Tehsil & Distt. Fazilka u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981by the Chairman on 17.07.2024.............
The following were present:............
From Board's side:
Er. G.S. Majithia, Member Secretary
Er. Rakesh Kumar, SEE, ZO, Bathinda
From industry side:
Sh. Malkit Singh, Chief Engineer.............
It was brought out that the industry is a sugar mill engaged in production of White commercial sugar @ 125 TPD as main product and Bagasse @ 280 TPD, Molasses @ 56 TPD& press mud @ 36 TPD as by products using sugarcane @ 1250 TPD as raw material.................
The Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi vide no. B-190198/WQM-II(RG)/ CPCB/Sugar/14/2016-17/9652-53 dated 13/16.12.2021 has issued directions u/s 18 (1) (b) of the Water Act, 1974 to the State Boards to issue appropriate directions to all the sugar mills operating in the State for compliance of order dated 21.9.2021 passed by the Hon'ble NGT in O.A. no. 71/2021 titled as Chandra Shekhar v/s State of Uttar Pradesh. One of the direction that all the units must ensure continuous running of ETPs even during the non-crushing season for the adequate maintenance of required bio-mass so that the ETP is able to take the load / shock when it receives the pollution load / effluent at the start of the crushing season.................
Consents to operate under the provisions of Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 was granted to the industry with validity upto 31/03/2024, subject to the following special conditions that:-................
1. The industry will ensure continuous operation of ETP even during the non-crushing season for the adequate maintenance of required biomass in compliance to the directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and shall operate the ETP efficiently to achieve the prescribed standards at all times...........
2. The industry shall develop adequate land area under plantation with proper distribution system so as to utilize its entire treated trade/domestic effluent and shall further ensure no stagnation / indiscriminate disposal of its effluent.................
3. The industry shall maintain good house-keeping in and around the ETP and shall ensure regular operation/calibration of OCEMS installed at the outlet of the ETP..............
4. The industry will ensure to get its effluent sample analyzed from Board’s lab/approved lab of the Board, within one month after its re-commissioning in the coming season 2023-24................
The industry has applied for extension in the validity of consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981..............
The industry was visited by officer of the Board on 21.03.2024 and it was observed that:-..............
1. The industry was not in operation as it has closed its operations for the current season...............
2. ETP installed by the industry was under stabilization; however housekeeping around the ETP area was poor. The industry has not yet remediated the leakages observed during earlier visit..............
3. Plantation developed by the industry was not maintained / cleaned. Empty spaces were observed in the plantation area and moreover the plantation area of 02 acres is not adequate for disposal of effluent @ 300 KLD................
4. Wet scrubbers installed as APCD were still not in operationable condition............
Show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 was issued to the industry alongwith an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chairman of the Board on 24.04.2024, wherein it was decided that:-..............
1. The applications applied by the industry under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 for obtaining consents to operate under the said Acts, are refused...............
2. The industry shall ensure continuous operation of ETP even during the non-crushing season for the adequate maintenance of required bio-mass in compliance to the directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and shall operate the ETP efficiently to achieve the prescribed effluent standards at all times................
3. The industry shall ensure to operate its Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) in a scientific manner to achieve the emission standards at all times..............
4. The industry shall develop adequate land area under plantation with proper distribution system so as to utilize the entire treated trade/domestic effluent and shall further ensure no stagnation/indiscriminate disposal of its effluent..............
5. The industry shall apply for obtaining 'consents to operate' under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 after ensuring the compliance of the decision no. 2 to 4 above............
6. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Faridkot shall visit the industry, verify the compliance(s) on site and process the applications to be applied by the industry under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981, on merits.............
In compliance to the decision of the personal hearing, the applications applied by the industry under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 were refused on 13.05.2024...............
Now the industry has again applied for obtaining consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981.............
The industry was visited by officer of the Board on 30.05.2024 and it was observed that:-.............
1. The industry was not in operation as lying closed in the off season................
2. ETP installed by the industry was under stabilization as aeration was in process. Housekeeping around the ETP was not good. Collection tank as well as clarifier tank was filled with effluent in septic condition..............
3. The industry has installed OCEMS in the ETP premises; however same was not connected to the outlet of ETP and was simply dipped in the water jar for the sake of showing readings............
4. Plantation developed by the industry was not maintained / cleaned. There was no approach to check the plantation area and heavy shrubs/weeds were found grown in the approach path, as such plantation area cannot be verified..............
5. The industry has failed to submit any documentary proof to ascertain the reasons for less generation of trade effluent with no change in raw material and product............
6. The industry has still not maintained boiler section and wet scrubbers attached as APCD to the boiler section was not in operationable condition................
Notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 has been issued to the industry alongwith an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chairman of the Board on 17.07.2024...............
The hearing was attended by Chief Engineer of the Sugar mill who submitted written reply in the matter, which has been taken on record. He further stated that:-...........
1. That as on date the industry is not in operation due to off season...............
2. That aeration tank of ETP is under stabilization. Regarding, housekeeping around the ETP, we have maintained the same regularly. But due to off season and rainy season wild grass grows frequently. We will ensure to keep housekeeping around the ETP. As on date and on the day of visit, no water observed in the both primary and secondary clarifiers.............
3. That OCEMS installed at the ETP has been disconnected after the suggestion of our consultant as no trade effluent observed at the outlet of ETP. We are not aware about the OCEMS operation whether it shall put in operation or not. Now we disconnect the OCEMS and informed the Regional office, PPCB, Faridkot through mail for the disconnection of OCEMS due to non-availability of trade effluent at the outlet of ETP...............
4. That regarding cleanness of Eucalyptus plantation area, Mill floated the tender for the cleanness of Eucalyptus plantation area. The process of the tender will be completed till last week of July 2024.............
5. That generation of trade effluent doesn't depend on the quantity of raw material and product. The excess/ overflow water is the only source which goes to ETP for clarification. During the crushing season 2023-24, the discharge of the effluent has been maintained on Log book..............
6. That we have floated the work order for the replacement of wet scrubbers with new one. The process of the tender will be completed till last week of July 2024...........
7. The above facts may be verified before start of crushing season 2024-25...............
After hearing the Chief Engineer of the industry and the officers of the Board, the Chairman of the Board decided that:-..............
1. 'Consents to operate' under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 be granted to the industry for a period upto 31.03.2025, subject to the following special conditions that:-..............
a) The industry will ensure continuous operation of ETP even during the non-crushing season for the adequate maintenance of required biomass in compliance to the directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and shall operate the ETP efficiently to achieve the prescribed standards at all times................
b) The industry shall develop adequate land area under plantation with proper distribution system so as to utilize its entire treated trade/domestic effluent and shall further ensure no stagnation / indiscriminate disposal of its effluent................
c) The industry shall maintain good house-keeping in and around the ETP and shall ensure regular operation/calibration of OCEMS installed at the outlet of the ETP.............
d) The industry will ensure to get its effluent sample analyzed from Board’s lab/approved lab of the Board, within one month after its re-commissioning in the coming season 2023-24...............
e) The industry will ensure to replace the existing non-operational wet scrubbers (APCDs) with the new ones by 31.07.2024, as per the submission of the industry...............
2. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Faridkot shall visit the industry, verify the compliance(s) on site and submit report/recommendations in the matter.................
Submitted for confirmation of the decisions of proceedings of hearing dated 17.07.2024 please. |
