| File Note: |
Proceedings of the personal hearing given before the Worthy CEE(P) of the Board on 16.01.2026 w.r.t. Show cause notice for refusal of Consent to Establish (NOC) extension under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 - M/s HLP Palm Villas, Village Ramgarh Bhudda, Zirakpur, Tehsil Derabassi, District - SAS Nagar.
The following were present: -
On behalf of Punjab Pollution Control Board
1. Er. Gursharan Dass Garg, Senior Environmental Engineer (ZP-1)
2. Er. Mohit Bisht, Environmental Engineer (ZP-1)
On behalf of the industry
1. Sh. Rajiv Vasudeva, Authorized Signatory
At the outset, Senior Environmental Engineer (ZP-1) brought out that:
The project proponent was granted Consent to Establish (NOC) under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 vide No. CTE/Fresh/SAS/2022/18484245 dated 11.05.2022, valid up to 12.04.2023, subject to specific conditions, inter alia:
2. The project proponent shall not allow any occupancy at the site without obtaining prior Consent to Operate of the Board under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
3. The project proponent shall utilize the 60-bigha land area for disposal of treated effluent for plantation purposes as per Karnal Technology (as per the agreement submitted with the application), until sewer connection from MC Zirakpur is obtained.
4. No occupancy shall be allowed without providing adequate disposal arrangements or obtaining sewer connection linked to a terminal STP of adequate capacity of MC Zirakpur. The adequacy of disposal arrangements shall be assessed by the Board at the time of occupancy, and the project proponent shall comply with the guidelines/directions prevailing at that time.
Conditions No. 2 and 3 were subsequently reiterated while granting CTE extensions on 18.05.2023 and 12.09.2024.
The project proponent has applied for obtaining extension in the validity of Consent to establish (NOC) from pollution angle under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, alongwith requisite documents.
The site of the project was visited by officer of Regional Office on 14.10.2025 and it was observed as under:
1. The project proponent has constructed internal Roads, laid down sewer etc. at the site. The construction and finishing work of 150 flats have been completed and present occupancy is in 30 flats. The construction work of 20 plots is under progress.
2. Another colony in an area of about 5.7 acres is being developed by the same developer adjacent to the site of a colony. The internal road work, laid down sewer etc is being carried out. The project proponent has informed that separate layout plan has been approved from the competent authority for this project.
3. The project proponent has installed STP having components collection tank, Fab-1 & 2, tube settler, sand filter, carbon filter. The same was not in operation due to fault in electric motor attached with Fab-1 & 2.
4. The project proponent has provided green area in one park of about 1 acre area and other parks of about 200-300 sq.yd each and the same is presently being used for the disposal of treated wastewater, which is adequate at this stage. However, for the further increase in the occupancy additional plantation area is required to be developed.
5. No compost pits have been provided at site.
Action for not obtaining of Consent to establish (NOC) for its another project i.e. M/s HLP Infratech LLP has also been processed through separate E-office file.
The above report establishes that the project proponent has permitted occupancy in violation of Condition No. 2 without obtaining necessary consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 as well as not operating its STP, thereby violating the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981. Also, the project proponent is not in compliance with essential CTE conditions, has failed to implement the committed 60-bigha Karnal Technology system, and continues to operate without adequate STP and disposal arrangements.
It has now been proposed to refuse the application filed by the industry for grant of the Consent to Establish extension under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 as well as issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, after affording an opportunity of show cause-cum-personal hearing.
Accordingly, show cause notice for refusal of Consent to Establish (NOC) extension under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & u/s 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 issued vide Board’s letter no. 6546 dated 16.12.2025 alongwith another opportunity to appear in person before the CEE(P) of the Board at Punjab Pollution Control Board, Vatavaran Bhawan, Nabha Road, Patiala on 29.12.2025 at 11:00 AM, with the following proposed directions:
1) That environmental compensation shall be imposed upon the project proponent for violating the environmental norms.
2) That the project proponent shall stop all construction activities at the site with immediate effect and stop forthwith discharging any effluent/ wastewater into sewer/inland surface water/ onto land or through any other mode.
3) The project proponent shall not allow any new occupancy and shall not allow any new possession in the premises of the project, with immediate effects.
4) That the Revenue Authorities shall not register any sale deed related to any plot/flat/ house/ shop/ showroom/ any other component of this project, with immediate effect.
5) That the PSPCL authorities shall not release any electric connection for this project or to any of its components, with immediate effect.
The project proponent of the establishment had not attended the personal hearing on 29.12.2025. The Competent Authority of the Board had taken a serious view of the matter and decided to give one last opportunity of personal hearing to the establishment on 16.01.2026 at 11:00 AM.
The representative of the project proponent attended the hearing attended the hearing but had not submitted written reply w.r.t. the notice issued. He was apprised that the project proponent is required to obtain prior Consent to Operate under the Water Act, 1974 & the Air Act, 1981 before allowing any occupancy in the project and prior Consent to Establish Expansion before expanding its project premises. He assured that all the violations reported by the visiting officer has been rectified at site and the consents to operate/ establish for expansion shall be applied promptly.
After hearing the of the project, officers of the Board, and material facts on the record, the Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board decided that:-
1) The project proponent shall apply for obtaining Consents to Operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for the occupancy allowed in the project, within 7 days alongwith submission of all requisite documents & consent/ penalty fees online.
2) The project proponent shall install in-house treatment facility like mechanical composter etc. for the biodegradable solid waste generated from its premises within one month and the non-degradable solid waste shall be diposed in compliance of the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
3) The project proponent shall ensure uninterrupted and efficient operation of the STP and maintain complete logbooks of flow, dosing, sludge handling and maintenance. Further, it shall ensure to produce all records during inspection by the Board’s officer.
4) The project proponent shall furnish a bank guarantee amounting to Rs. 5.0 lakh as an assurance to comply with the Environmental norms at all times, with the Regional Office, SAS Nagar within 7 days.
5) The Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, SAS Nagar shall conduct a surprise inspection after 15 days, to process the Consents to Operate application (to be applied by the project proponent as per 1. above) and to verify the functioning of the STP, water abstraction, wastewater disposal arrangements & solid-waste management system and submit a comprehensive report with conclusive recommendations.
6) Further action and decision regarding application for CTE Extension, shall be taken after receipt of report from the Regional Office.
If approved, the proceedings of the personal hearing as per above be conveyed to the project proponent as well as RO for compliance. |
