| File Note: |
As discussed, It is submitted that the industry is red category large scale unit engaged in the manufacturing of the grain-based ethanol plant @ 300 KLD by using raw material i.e., Rice @ 672 MTD and Maize @ 720 MTD. The industry also produces 2 no. of byproducts i.e., DDGS @ 252 MTD and CO2 @ 228 MTD. The industry was granted consents to operate vide no. CTOW/Renewal/BTI/2025/29901723 dated 13.11.2025 valid upto 31.03.2026 under the Water Act, 1974 and vide no. CTOA/Renewal/BTI/2025/29901713 dated 14.11.2025 valid upto 31.03.2026 for grain-based ethanol plant @ 300 KLD by using Raw material of Rice @ 672 MTD and Maize @ 720 MTD under the Air Act, 1981 valid upto 30.09.2025 with following special conditions:
1. The industry shall install solar plant of adequate capacity in its premises in compliance of Environmental Clearance by 31.03.2026.
2. The industry shall complete plantation in 33% area by 20.12.2025 as submitted by the industry vide reply dated 19.10.2025.
3. The industry shall submit year wise details of CER activities carried out by it from date of commissioning to till date with photographs and also submit proposal of activities to be carried out under CER & CSR during this financial year, within 15 days.
4. The industry shall ensure regular operation and maintenance of the effluent treatment plant installed in sister concerned unit wherein its effluent is being treated and treated effluent shall be reused in the process / utilities in accordance with the environmental clearance issued to it.
5. The industry shall obtain permission from Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRDA) for abstraction of round water and shall comply with the its guidelines.
6. The industry shall install water meter over the supply of fresh meter and shall maintain the record on daily basis.
7. The consent to operate is granted by the Board from the pollution angle only. The industry is bound to obtain necessary statutory clearances from other concerned departments, if required.
8. The industry shall ensure that there is no pollution/nuisance in the vicinity with the operation of the industry.
9. The industry shall devise the ways & means to minimize the generation of all kind of wastes through REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE activities.
10. The generated waste, if any, shall be properly handled and managed as per the provisions of the Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2016 in an environmentally sound manner.
11. The project proponent shall develop vermi-composting/composting pits to manage the biodegradable solid waste.
12. The industry shall not throw, burn or bury any solid wastes in open, outside premises or in drain / water bodies.
13. The industry shall ensure that there is no usages of plastic carry bags and single use plastic / thermocol disposable items such as water bottles / water pouches/water cups, plates, forks, spoons, straw etc. and single use decorating material made of plasticthermocol or any other non-biodegradable material in the premises.
14. The industry shall perform / promote its Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) activities as well as use of alternatives of single use plastics (SUP) and awareness to discourage use of plastic.
15. The industry shall carry out awareness and activities for the themes / action points identified under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change given at the website (http://missionlifemoefcc.nic.in).
Now, the industry has applied for obtaining renewal consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 through OCMMS for grain-based ethanol plant @ 300 KLD by using Raw material of Rice @ 672 MTD and Maize @ 720 MTD. The details of the case are as under: -
The industry has deposited the consent fee Rs. 1692000/- through online vide UTR.no. SBINR52025011772405583 dated 17.01.2025 under Water Act, 1974 and 1692000/- through online vide UTR.no. SBINR52025011772405439 dated 17.01.2025 under Air Act, 1981 to make adequate upto 31.03.2028 as per the Board's office order dated 29.10.2018 against fixed assets of Rs. 518 crore as per the CA certificate dated 16.07.2025.
The PP has earlier proposed to establish this unit in an area of 23 acres out of which plant area is 15.1 acre and rest i.e., 7.9 acres will be the green belt and the industry had developed plantation in 7.9 acres. The industry has earlier submitted copy of environmental clearance granted to it by Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Impact Assessment Division) vide no. EC22A060PB188235 dated 24.03.2022 for the proposed project.
The industry has submitted compliance report of EC granted to the industry and the special conditions being imposed at time of granting consents, in annotated form.
The industry has also submitted copy of the transfer of EC in the new name i.e. HMEL Organics Private Limited, Village Phulokhari, Taluka Talwandi Saboo vide no. :IA-J-11011/20/2022-IA-II(I) dated 10.11.2023.
The industry is sourcing fresh water from the raw water reservoirs of its existing sister unit, M/s HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (Guru Gobind Singh Refinery). The total storage capacity of the refinery’s raw water reservoirs is 24 lakh KL, which is adequate to meet the water requirement of the refinery and petrochemical complex along with the ethanol plant for a period of approximately 15 days.
Further, the industry has laid a dedicated pipeline for conveying the effluent generated from the unit to the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) of the refinery section for treatment. The unit is utilizing steam and power from the existing facilities of M/s HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (Guru Gobind Singh Refinery).
Accordingly, no separate air pollution sources are stated to be generated from the unit, and therefore, no Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) or CCTV systems have been installed. It is further submitted that the effluent and emission samples of the sister unit were conducted on 16.10.2025 & 17.10.2025, wherein concentration of PM in 09 stacks was found beyond the permissible limits.
Moreover, the sampling fees around 17.6 lacs of the sister unit have been pending since 2021. Now, the industry has submitted around 4.20 Lacs dated 13.01.2026.
To check the compliance, the industry was visited by the officer the Board 31.12.2025 and observed as under:
1. The industry was in operation during visit.
2. The industry is taking fresh water from its sister concerned unit i.e., M/s HMEL (Guru Gobind Singh Refinery) through pipeline. However, the industry is not maintaining any record of fresh water consumption in the premises.
3. The representative failed to show any treatment facility / arrangements provided for treatment of domestic effluent.
4. The industry has provided one room for storage of hazardous wastes, however during visit, no hazardous waste found stored in the room. The empty containers of chemicals (hazardous wastes of category 33.1) were lying stored near the ETP / CPU plant.
5. The industry is taking steam & power from its sister concerned unit i.e. M/s HMEL (Guru Gobind Singh Refinery), hence, no boiler has been installed in the premises.
6. The industry has installed DG set of capacity 750 KVA equipped with canopy of adequate stack height.
7. The industry was earlier granted consents to operate under Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 with special condition that the industry shall install solar plant of adequate capacity by 31.03.2026, in compliance of environmental clearance. However, the industry has not yet started installation of solar plant.
8. The industry was earlier granted consents to operate under Water Act, 1974 & Air Act, 1981 with special condition that the industry shall complete plantation in 33% area by 20.12.2025. During visit, the representative shown some fresh plantation. The representative assured to submit layout plan showing total area of the unit including 33% plantation area, within 2 days. But the industry has not submitted layout plan showing plantation in 33% area of total land of the industry.
Keeping in view of above, it is recommended that a Show Cause Notice may be issued to the industry for the refusal of consents to Operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Competency: Hon'ble Chairperson |
