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It is submitted that the industry is a Medium-Scale red category dyeing unit located at Machiwara Road, Vill-Kumkalan, Ludhiana. The Industry was granted Consent to Operate under Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Varied/LDH1/2021/17131278 issued on 21.12.2021 valid up to 30.06.2025 and Consent to Operate under Water Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Varied/LDH1/2021/17020914 issued on 21.12.2021 valid up to 30.06.2025 for production of dyed cotton fabric @ 2500 Kg/day, dyed polyester fabric @ 4500 Kg/day, Knitting @ 3750 Kg/day and Raising, cutting @ 3500 Kg/day and printing of cotton/polyester fabrics @ 5 MT/day. The Industry to generate Trade Effluent @ 290.0 KLD & Domestic Effluent @ 15.0 KLD which is being discharged onto land for plantation. The industry has installed ETP having components as Collection tank – Chemical dosing - tube settler (02 No.) -Biological tank- tube settler- filtration- Outlet. The industry has installed 01 no. Boiler of capacity 6.5 TPH, 01 no. Thermopack of capacity 2500 Kcal/h and 02 no. DG sets of capacity 320 KVA each. Both the Boiler and Thermopack are rice husk fired. The special conditions imposed during the grant of consent under Air Act, 1981 & Water Act, 1974 under:
a. The industry will provide proper arrangements of dry its sludge before packing in bags for storage, such arrangements must include to avoid rain water into it i.e. in drying area.
b. The industry will submit report form ETP supplier for the optimum quantity of chemical/ coagulants used for treatment in its ETP as well as operational manual of the same.
c. The industry shall submit monthly data on power consumption in the industry, production, power consumption in ETP, sludge produced, fresh water consumption trade effluent generation and coagulants used/ consumed.
d. The industry shall submit monthly data on consumption of power for APCD, chemicals consumption in APCD, ash produced and its disposal.
e. The industry will make the agreement with the brick kilns for disposal of its boiler ash for use in brick making.
f. The industry will obtain Authorization under Hazardous (Waste & Management) Rules, 2016 at the earliest.
It is further submitted that earlier the industry was visited by officers of the Board on 14.04.2023 and observed that the industry was not in operation. Dark pink colored effluent was lying stagnated in the plantation area, clearly depicting that the untreated effluent has been discharged in the plantation area recently. The representative of the industry could not give any satisfactory reply to the fact that untreated effluent has been discharged. Samples were collected from the plantation area and as per analysis report, the concentration of TSS, BOD, COD and Sulphide was found beyond prescribed limits.
Accordingly the industry was issued notice u/s 33-A of Water Act, 1974 along with show cause notice for violation of provisions of the Hazardous & Other Wastes Rules, 2016 with an opportunity of personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer on 25.05.2023.
Neither any representative from the industry attended the hearing, nor any reply submitted by the industry. After considering background of the case and material facts on the record, the Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board decided to give another opportunity of personal hearing to the industry on 06.06.2023, which was postponed to 20.06.2023.
No representative of the industry attending the hearing on 20.06.2023.
After hearing officer of the Board and considering background of the case and material facts on the record, the Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board decided as under:-
1. Consent to operate granted under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 be revoked.
2. Proposed directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 be confirmed for closure of the industry and for disconnection of its electric connection.
Accordingly, Directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for disconnection of electric connection were issued vide no. 3650-57 dated 12.07.2023 and consent to operate under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was revoked.
In compliance to the directions issued by the Competent Authority of the Board, the electric connection available with the industry was disconnected by PSPCL authorities vide TDCO no. 469/10 dated 17.07.2023.
Thereafter, the industry was granted Consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/LDH1/2023/22867785 issued on 21/07/2023 up to 20.01.2024 and Electric connection of the industry was also restored for six months i.e. up to same period.
The industry was visited by the officers of the Board on 14.09.2023 to collect the effluent samples and as per the analysis report from parameters COD and BOD were beyond the prescribed limits.
Thereafter, show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was issued to industry with hearing before the CEE, Ludhiana on 09.05.2024.
After hearing the industry, officer of the Board and considering background of the case and material facts on the record, the Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board decided as under:-
1. The industry shall operate its ETP regularly and efficiently, so as to achieve the effluent standards prescribed by the Board.
2. The industry shall maintain the proper record of water consumption and treated effluent discharge and chemical used for treatment of effluent to ensure the regular operation of its ETP.
3. The industry shall submit their proposal to install the ETP based ZLD technology for treatment of their effluent within three months with timeline to comply within one year.
4. The Environmental Engineer, Regional office shall personally verify submission compliance made by the industry, collect effluent sample again and send further recommendations in the matter.
After that the industry was visited by the officers of the Board on 03.06.2024 and found operational. The point wise reply of decision of the personal hearing was as under:
1. The industry is operating its ETP regularly and efficiently and is achieving the effluent standards prescribed by the Board (as per the analysis report dated 19.06.2024)
2. The industry is maintaining the proper record of water consumption and treated effluent discharge and chemical used for treatment of effluent to ensure the regular operation of its ETP. The record was checked and found in order.
3. The industry has not complied with the decision no. 3 of the hearing held on 09.05.2024 as no proposal was provided for ZLD system.
The industry was not complying with the decision of PH before CEE. The industry was issued show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 with hearing before the Senior Environmental Engineer of the Board on 03.07.2024. But, no one from industry attended the hearing and not submitted any written reply.
The industry was again issued show cause notice for refusal of consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 with hearing before the Senior Environmental Engineer of the Board on 25.07.2024, wherein it was decided that:-
1. The industry shall submit their proposal to install the ETP based on ZLD technology for treatment of their effluent as already decided in personal hearing held before the Chief Environmental Engineer Ludhiana on 09.05.2024.
2. The case be recommended to Competent Authority for grant of consent to operate / restoration of electric connection of the industry for six months.
3. The Environmental Engineer, Regional office shall verify the submission made by industry, pursue the industry for compliance of decision at serial no. 1 and submit recommendations in the matter.
In compliance to the decisions of the personal hearing, the industry has not submitted any proposal to install the ETP based on ZLD technology for treatment of their effluent within three months.
Thereafter, the industry has been issued show cause notice with opportunity of personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer, Ludhiana on 12.09.2024
The representative of the industry attended the hearing and submitted written reply which has been taken on record. He submitted that they are operating ETP regularly as per norms of the Board. They are maintaining the proper record of water consumption and treated effluent discharge and chemical used for treatment of effluent to ensure the regular operation of its ETP. He further submitted that their industry is small scale unit and have adequate plantation area for discharge of effluent according to Karnal Technology. He requested to remove the condition of ZLD and grant consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974.
After hearing the industry, officer of the Board and considering background of the case and material facts on the record, the Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board decided as under:-
1. Consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 along with restoration of electric connection be further granted for period of six months to the industry
After the removal of ZLD condition, the industry was granted ‘Consent to Operate’ under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Fresh/LDH1/2024/25330463 dated 18.09.2024 valid up to 17.03.2025 for production of dyed cotton fabric @ 2500 Kg/day, dyed polyester fabric @ 4500 Kg/day, Knitting @ 3750 Kg/day and Raising, cutting @ 3500 Kg/day and printing of cotton/polyester fabrics @ 5 MT/day. The Industry was to generate Trade Effluent @ 290.0 KLD & Domestic Effluent @ 15.0 KLD which is being discharged onto land for plantation. Basically, there has been no change in production details.
The directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 were issued for restoration of electric connection available to the industry temporarily up to this period i.e. up to 17.03.2025 vide letter no. 5345-46 dated 19.09.2024.
Thereafter the industry has applied consent for ‘Consent to Operate’ under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 in November and application was processed on merits and unit was visited on 11.11.2025. Now the industry had reapplied for Consent to operate under both acts.
The Industry has provided required documents along with latest CA certificate. The Current CA certificate puts gross assets as 18.92 Crore with contribution of Plant and Machinery as 13.61 Crores, Building assets as 2.62 crores. The last CA certificate had total assets of 17.47 crores with Plant and Machinery as 12.41 crores and Building assets as 2.38 crores. As far as increase in Plant and Machinery is concerned, industry has added slit opening machine, Infracolor lab machine, Air compressors, Pump Set, lift machine and penetration machine. In the Building component, industry has added a new shed supported by Steel Columns for protection against rain and storage of materials. However, no change has been made in main structure of the Building.
The industry has submitted the fee of Rs. 126000 /- Vide no. 641029329 dated 13.10.2025 under Air Act and Rs. 126000 /- Vide no. 743059213 dated 13.10.2025 under Water Act, which is valid up to 30.06.2028.
The industry was visited by officer of the Board on 11.11.2025 with regard to earlier application. Based on the earlier visit and documents, it is observed as under:
1.0 The Industry was found to be operational during the visit.
2.0 The Industry was engaged in dyeing of fabric (Polyester/cotton) and printing of the same.
3.0 The industry has installed ETP having components as Collection tank – Chemical dosing - tube settler (02 No.) -Biological tank- tube settler- filtration- Outlet to treat its trade effluent of 290 KLD. The industry has maintained record of consumption of Ferrous sulphate, Lime and Poly, ETP energy meter, outflow and Sludge production record. On average Industry produces trade effluent in the range of 200-220 KLD.
4.0 The effluent sample was collected by Board on 24.07.2025 and as per analysis report, the conc. of various parameters i.e. pH= 7.6 against 6.5 - 8.5, TSS = 30 mg/l against 100 mg/l, TDS = 1528 mg/l against 2100 mg/l, COD= 168 mg/l against 250 mg/l, BOD=25 mg/l against 30 mg/l, Oil & Grease = 6.0 mg/l against 10 mg/l, Phenolics 1.0 mg/l against 1.0 mg/l, Sulphides= 1.6 mg/l against 2.0 mg/l, SAR= 5.72 against 26.0, Ammonical Nitrogen 6.4 mg/l against 50 mg/l, Total Chromium 0.1 mg/l against 2.0 mg/l The conc. of various parameters are within the prescribed limit of the Board.
4.0 The industry has installed 01 no. Boiler of capacity 6.5 TPH, 01 no. Thermopack of capacity 2500 Kcal/h. Both the Boiler and Thermopack is rice husk fired and have common stack. The industry has installed new dedicated electric sub-meter for this section and is maintaining the daily data. The Industry has installed multicyclone separator as APCD. The emission sampling was carried out by board on 24.07.2025 and as per report received, Particulate matter was found to be 96 mg/m3.
5.0 As per effluent sample reports of 19.06.2024 and 24.07.2025, the industry has been found to be complying with the prescribed standards.
6.0 All the earlier proceedings were substituted by latest proceedings before the chief environmental engineer on 12.09.2024. As such no compliance is pending w.r.t personal hearing before CEE.
7.0 The regional office vide letter no. PPCB/RO-1/1545 dated 30.10.2025 has written a reminder letter to the PSPCL authorities regarding status of the earlier issued directions vide letter no. 5345-46 dated 19.09.2024. Thereafter another letter no. 1636 dated 22.12.2025 was written by regional office to PSPCL authorities. Thereafter, through telephone and emails reminders were given and Disconnection has been confirmed vide TDCO 535/31 dated 05.01.2026.
8.0 As per office order SEE(HQ-2)/F.no.441/2025/428 dated 23.09.2025 specifies that if two samples meet prescribed standards then permanent restoration may be issued however the circular prescribes first sample to be carried out in one month of restoration and subsequent samples are to be taken after 02 months from the collection of respective previous sample. Here two samples have been collected on different temporary restorations. But two standards have met the prescribed standards.
In view of the above it is recommended that:-
1. The consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 & under Air Act, 1981 may be granted to the unit up to 30.06.2028 as it has passed two samples although on different occasions.
2. Directions may be issued to PSPCL authorities for permanent restoration of electricity connection.
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