Trouble brews for 2 microbreweries

Ramkrishan Upadhyay 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, July 27 

The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) today issued orders to seal two microbreweries situated in Sectors 22 and 26.

Sources in the department said the consent of the CPCC was required under Section 25 and 26 of the Water (Prevention and Control Of Pollution) Act, 1974; under Section 21 of the Air (Prevention and Control Of Pollution) Act, 1981 and other relevant Rules of Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, before starting any unit. Under the law, every unit has to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate from the CPCC. 

An officer of the department said any unit found running without consent was liable to be sealed and electricity and water supply would be disconnected in addition to prosecution for violations under the rules without a separate intimation or a show-cause notice. 

He said during the check, it was found that these microbreweries, the one running in Piccadilly Hotel in Sector 22 and the other situated in Sector 26, The Great Bear (M/s Freaking Amazing Food Pvt Ltd.), did not obtain the requisite permission. 

He said the step had been taken to ensure that the city remained free of pollution. On the other hand, an official of the Piccadilly Hotel, Narinder, said, “We have followed all relevant rules of different departments. We had applied online to the CPCC on October 12, 2015, for the NOC, but did not receive any communication from the pollution committee. The microbrewery was established under the excise policy." 

On the other hand, the owner of the Great Bear, Amratanshu Agarwal, said he was yet to see the order for sealing. He said they had already applied for permission last year.