Fresh NGT order allows units meeting emission norms

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14

In a tizzy after the NGT banned industrial activity in the NCR, the Industries Department, Haryana, today heaved a sigh of relief after the former allowed industrial units to operate provided these meet the norms and the emissions are within the prescribed limit. 

In an order dated November 9, the NGT had imposed a ban on industrial activities that release emissions after which the Industries Department received representations seeking a clarification.

Sources said the CII in a representation to the department had termed the blanket ban as “abrupt and unwarranted” but mentioned that it supported initiatives to curb emissions. Stating that the ban should not apply to industry where emissions were within the permissible limits, the representation urged the Industries Department to intervene and ask the Haryana State Pollution Control Board to seek a clarification from the NGT while maintaining the status quo.

Various representations received by the department also wanted the board to clarify in its public notices that  industrial units complying with the specified emission norms were out of the purview of the NGT order and could, therefore, continue with their activities. Also, industrial units using natural gas or other similar environment-friendly fuels could operate as per their approvals.

The Industries Department, in view of the NGT order and  representations from industry, had initiated the exercise of implementation while seeking a clarification on the order . “Today’s order implies that there is no ban on operation of industrial units if these are conforming to the norms,” a senior government functionary said. 

Relief to 200 Karnal units

Karnal : The fresh NGT order has brought cheer for around 200 industries like rice mills, sugar mills and solvent extractors edible oil plants. After the fresh order, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) asked such industrial units to resume operations that had been lying shut since Friday.in regard to carrying on their manufacturing activities. Rice millers, solvent extractors’ edible oil units and farmers hailed the decision and assured the HSPCB to abide by the prescribed emission norms . Vijay Setia, president, All-India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA), said: “ We have started our mills to meet the deadline to supply rice to the state government and meet our export obligations”. “We have conveyed the fresh NGT decision to the industrial units and asked them to resume operations,” said Virender Kumar, SDO, HSPCB. TNS