| File Note: |
It is submitted that the rice sheller was granted consent to establish (NOC) under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 vide Board's no. CTE/Fresh/LDH2/2017/5685939 dated 15/6/20017, valid upto 14/06/2018 for processing of paddy @ 3.0 T/hour (without drier).
Earlier, a complaint was received in this office from Sh. Ranjit Singh s/o Sh. Bhajan Singh r/o village Majra Rahaun that the industry is not managing its rice husk properly and is damaging his crops cultivated in adjoining agricultural fields.
Accordingly, the industry was visited by the AEE of this office on 19/03/2018 and during the visit it was observed as under:
1. The industry is a rice selling unit and was in operation.
2. The industry has installed a submersible pump as source of fresh water and no water meter is provided with the same.
3. The industry has provided a soakage pit for disposal of domestic effluent.
4. The industry has not provided adequate planation along the boundary of the unit.
5. The industry provided wall of about 15 ft height for storage of rice husk, however, the rice husk was not being maintained properly and huge piles of rice husk were there, which were not covered and the wind was carrying out this rice husk outside the premises by the wind and thus damaging the crops ploughed in the adjoining fields.
6. The rice sheller has installed cyclone separator as APCD with stack of in-adequate height, which was also in operation. However, no sampling facility has been provided with the stack.
7. The industry has installed drier without written permission of the Board, which was in operation during visit. The industry has not provided any APCD with the separator attached with the Drier.
8. The industry has also not obtained valid ‘consent to operate’ under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 from the Board and has started its operation.
Accordingly, report was sent to ZP-2, Patiala alongwith recommendations to initiate action u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 against the industry for closure of its unit.
Accordingly, the industry was issued notice u/s 33-A of the Water Act, 1974 and u/s 31-A of the Air Act, 1981 alongwith personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer (B) of the Board on 14/5/2018 to explain its positions.
Meanwhile, the industry has applied for fresh consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 for processing of paddy @ 3.0 T/hour with requisite documents through OCMMS. The rice sheller has deposited Rs. 23500/- each vide R. no. 39/4902 and no. 40/4902 dated 23/4/2018 as Water Consent Fee and Air Consent Fee against the fixed assets of Rs. 79.04 Lacs as on 21/3/2018 as per CA Certificate dated 13/4/2018, which is adequate 30/9/2022 as per Board's Office Order dated 18/7/2016..
Accordingly, the industry was visited by the undersigned on 11/05/2018 and it was observed that:
1) The industry was not in operation due to off season.
2) The rice sheller has installed cyclone separator as APCD with adequate stack height, which was also not in operation.
3) The rice sheller has installed drier and has provided cyclone separator as APCD with adequate stack height, which was also not in operation.
4) The industry has submitted the analysis report of the stack emission sampling carried out by M/s Industrial Testing Laboratory & Consulting House, (Approved Lab) on 11/4/2018. As per the analysis results, the concentration of SPM was found to be 118 mg/Nm3, which is within the permissible limits as laid down by the Board.
5) The industry has provided pucca vehicle movement area from the main gate to rice storage room.
6) The industry provided proper rice husk storage facilities inside the factory premises and the height of brick wall inclusive of wind screen in front of the discharge point of rice husk is 15'
7) The minimum diameter at the outlet of discharge pipe of rice husk is 15'' and length of pipe is 3'.
8) The industry has given assurance that it has got adequate HDPE fabric to cover rice husk.
9) The industry has dismantled the soakage pit and has provided septic tank for treatment of its domestic effluent, which will be discharged onto land for plantation.
10) The industry has planted fresh saplings along its boundary wall.
The industry has submitted building plans signed by Sh. Santokh, Competent Person, approved under Factories Act.
Further, as per the guidelines issued by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), Khanna Block of Ludhiana District falls in the list of notified area. As this industry does not fall in the list of water intensive industries and only require water for drinking purposes. Furthermore, the Board has also clarified vide SEE(HQ-1) Head Office letter no. 7956-97 dated 9/3/2018, the operative part of this letter is as under:
It has been decided that the Board shall continue to grant consent to establish/consent to operate to the industries with the advisory to obtain necessary clearance for abstraction of ground water from the authorities concerned as notified by the Central Ground Water Authority. However, aforesaid clearance shall not be insisted upon by the Board at the time of grant of CTE/CTO to the industries.
The industry is complying with the conditions new code of practice notified by Govt. Notification no. 10/48/2004-STE (4) /932 dated. 15/10/2013.
Keeping above in view, it is recommended that:
1. Above report may be considered in the personal hearing to be given to the industry on 14/05/2018 and Notice u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 be dropped please.
2. Consent to operate under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 may be granted upto 30/9/2022 for processing of paddy @ 3.0 T/hour with drier as per policy of the Board.
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