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It is submitted that the industry is a Large Scale, Red Category Craft paper mill. Earlier the industry was granted CTOs valid upto 31/03/2027 for manufacturing of Kraft Paper @ 60 Metric Tonnes/Day by providing a boiler of capacity 8 TPH using pet coke as fuel.
The area was visited by the then SEE, ZO, ASR & EE, RO, Batala and AEE of this office on 22/02/2023. During the visit, the industry was found emitting black smoke continuously and was found using sugarcane waste bales as fuel. The industry had not obtained CTO under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for use of sugarcane waste as fuel. Due to above said violations, the CTO granted to the unit was revoked vide letter no 973 dated 20.04.2023. The industry was again found emitting black smoke during visit dated 02/05/2023.
Accordingly, the competent authority of the Board had issued directions u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 for the closure of the unit and the PSPCL authorities were also directed to disconnect the power supply. Also, the RO was directed to seal the plant and machinery of the unit vide ZO, Amritsar letter no 1345-47 dated 22.5.2023.
The industry then made compliance and was granted short term consent to operate under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 multiple times, which was valid upto 08/12/2023, 19/06/2024, 20/12/2024 and 30/06/2025. Directions u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 were also issued for restoration of electric connection and de-sealing of machinery for the same time period for which the short term CTOs were granted upto 08/12/2023, 19/06/2024, 20/12/2024 and 30/06/2025 respectively. The last consent to operate under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 was granted to the industry on dated 31/12/2024, which was valid upto 30/06/2025 along with temporarily restoration of electric connection subject to the special condition that the industry will got analyzed its air emission samples as per the policy of the Board for the permanent restoration of electric connection.
Also the industry has proposed to install Paddy straw based boiler of capacity 12 TPH and obtained Consent to Establish (NOC) for the manufacturing Kraft Paper @ 60 Metric Tonnes/Day & Paper Cup & Plates @ 0.5 T/day by using Old Waste Paper @ 56 Metric Tonnes/Day & Craft Paper Cutting @ 19 Metric Tonnes/Day, which was valid upto 16/12/2025 under Medium Scale Red Category by installation an additional paddy straw based boiler of capacity 12 TPH.
Now, the industry has applied for obtaining varied CTOs for manufacturing of Kraft Paper @ 60 Metric Tonnes/Day by using Old Waste Paper @ 56 Metric Tonnes/Day & Craft Paper Cutting @ 19 Metric Tonnes/Day under Large Scale Red Category. The industry has now deposited consent fee adequate upto 31/03/2031 under both Acts.
The unit was visited by the Er Maninder Kaler AEE on 14/01/2026 and it was observed as under:-
1. The unit was in operation during visit.
2. The unit has installed 02 no. boiler of capacity 12 TPH and 8 TPH. Paddy straw bales and pet coke is being used as fuel respectively. The old boiler i.e. of capacity 8 TPH was lying closed during visit.
3. The new boiler i.e. of capacity 12 TPH is running on trail basis during the visit. ESP has been provided as APCD with the new boiler. Work regarding installation of sampling arrangement is under progress during the visit and the same is almost 90% completed.
4. The unit has provided multicyclone Separator followed by Alkali Scrubber as APCD with the boiler of capacity 8 TPH.
5. The unit has provided an ETP consisting of Bar Screen- Primary Tank- Secondary Tank- Sedicell and Final Collection Tank for treatment of effluent generated all the treated effluent is being reused in process. The unit has provided EMF at the pipeline leading from primary tank to the pulping area and the reading of
same was 932885.693 m3. The unit has also provided EMF on the pipeline leading to sedicell from the secondary tank and the reading of the same was 1568956.863 m3.
6. The domestic effluent of the unit is discharged into septic tank followed by PSIEC Sewer.
7. The industry is only manufacturing Kraft Paper. The representative of the industry informed that the industry shall not manufacture Paper Cup & Plates. No machinery has been installed by the industry for the manufacturing of Paper Cup & Plates.
The stack samples were already collected on 09/01/2025 and as per the analysis report the particulate matter was noted as 150 mg/Nm3 and Sulphur dioxide was noted as 356 mg/Nm3, which was confirming the prescribed standards of 8 TPH boiler.
8. The site of the industry falls in designated industrial area i.e. Industrial Growth Centre, Pathankot.
May if approved
1. The consent to operate under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 may be granted upto 31/03/2030 subject to the suitable conditions.
2. Directions may be issued u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for the restoration of electric connection of the unit permanently.
Competency Hon’ble Chairperson of the Board.
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