| File Note: |
Subject: Proceedings of the personal hearing given before SEE (ZP-2) of the Board on 06.04.2026 w.r.t. Show cause notice for refusal of consents to operate applied under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 - M/s Avon Fuels (Previously Known as Akash Bio Fuel), Village Nagra, Link Road Sanghreri, Tehsil Bhawanigarh, Distt. Sangrur.
The following were present:
From the Board:
Er. Birdevinder Singh, EE, ZO-II, Patiala
From the industry:
Sh. Navneet Singla, Proprietor
Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-II, Patiala brought out that earlier, the industry was granted consents to operate under the Water Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Varied/SGR/2025/29074085 dated 14.07.2025 and under the Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Varied/SGR/2025/28990243 dated 14.07.2025, both valid upto 31.12.2027, for manufacturing of Fire Briquettes (Biomass Briquettes sun drying) @ 5 TPH by using wood dust, mustered straw, wheat straw, rice straw, cotton stick, sun flower, Cane thrash & waste rice husk @ 5 TPH as raw material, under the green category.
Now, the industry has applied for obtaining varied consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 due to change in production i.e. for manufacturing of Torrefied & Non torrefied pellets @ 480 Metric Tonnes/Day by using shredded paddy @ 552 Metric Tonnes/Day and Binder @ 48 Metric Tonnes/Day as raw material under red category i.e. 68.4 Hydrogen production through pyrolysis/gasification.
To verify the facts, the site of the industry was visited by Er. Dharamvir Singh, AEE, Regional Office, Sangrur on 11.02.2026 and it was observed as under: -
1. The industry was found in operation during visit and it was engaged in the process of manufacturing of Torrefied & Non torrefied pellets.
2. The industry has installed Carbonizer and 8 no. of chakki for manufacturing of Fire Briquettes (Bio Mass Briquettes Sun Drying).
3. There is no lal lakir/phirni of village, 15 pucca houses and MC limit within 100 mtr radius from the site.
4. No trade effluent is being generated from the process. Domestic effluent @ 0.9 KLD was being disposed off onto land for plantation @ 0.01 acre, after passing through septic tank.
5. The industry has not installed any other air polluting device like D.G set, boiler etc. in its premises.
6. The industry has not installed any dryer in its premises.
Further, a complaint was received from the Board’s Complaint Cell vide email dated 05.03.2026 and 13.03.2026 wherein it has been alleged that pellet manufacturing units operating near village areas, including one namely Avon Fuels, Link Road, near Gharacho, Sangheri, Sangrur, are causing severe air pollution.
To verify the contents of the complaint, the site was inspected by Er. Rohit Singla, EE and Er. Rupinder Pal Singh, AEE of Regional Office, Sangrur on 13.03.2026. During inspection, it was observed as under: -
1. The industry had stored raw materials in open, namely press mud, chicken manure, DOC and wood dust.
2. Foul odour was sensed in and around the premises at the time of inspection, which appeared to be primarily emanating from the press mud stored by the industry in its premises in open conditions. The storage and handling of these materials was not found to be carried out in a scientific and environmentally sound manner. The materials were observed to be exposed to ambient conditions with no proper flooring, side enclosures or protective covering, thereby causing generation of odorous gases.
3. No adequate measures for odour control were found to be in place at the time of inspection. The absence of these control measures is likely to contribute to continuous odour nuisance in the surrounding area and is not in line with good environmental management practices.
Further, the Board vide letter no. PPCB/9976 dated 18.03.2025 has already examined the issue regarding use of press mud in such units and observed that its use is likely to cause environmental issues such as odour nuisance and fly infestation, based on past experience with similar operations like CBG plants.
The industry has failed to comply with the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Thus, violating the provisions of the said Acts, intentionally & deliberately and causing pollution in the area.
Accordingly, the industry was issued show cause notice alongwith an opportunity of personal hearing before the Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-II, Patiala of the Board on 06.04.2026 at 11:00 AM.
The representative of the industry attended the hearing and submitted written reply which was taken on record. He informed that he was unaware about the usage of press mud/chicken manure for manufacturing of pallet and assured that the same will not be used for pallet manufacturing in future. He further informed that one truck of press mud was lying in its premises and assured that the industry will remove the same immediately. He requested to grant a period of 15 days to apply for obtaining CTE/NOC expansion of the Board under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and also assured to comply with observations made by visiting officer.
After hearing the officer of the Board and representative of the industry, Senior Environmental Engineer, Zonal Office-II, Patiala of the Board decided as under: -
1. The varied consent to operate applied by the industry under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 shall be refused.
2. The industry shall apply for obtaining CTE/NOC expansion of the Board under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, within 07 days.
3. The industry shall remove the press mud from the site immediately and shall not use as raw material under any circumstance.
4. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office, Sangrur shall visit the site of industry, verify the contentions made by the industry during hearing, process the consent application and send the report/ recommendations after 15 days.
5. Further action shall be taken in the matter after the receipt of report from the Regional Office, Sangrur.
If approved, the proceedings may be conveyed to the industry as well as Regional Office, Sangrur for ensuring compliance. |
