Rs 25-lakh fine on sugar mill for fly ash emissions

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, December 17

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs25 lakh on the Panipat co-operative sugar mill for emitting fly ash into the air. It has also imposed a fine of Rs5 lakh on the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) for failing to take timely action against the sugar mill.

Advocate Amit Kaushik of Sanjay Colony here had filed a complaint before the NGT in January, seeking directions to curb fly ash emissions by the sugar mill.

He had said fly ash was affecting the health of people living in the vicinity of the sugar mill, besides damaging crops.

Kaushik said, “I had approached the HSPCB and sugar mill authorities to stop the fly ash emissions, but no action was taken.”

After he approached the NGT, the HSPCB had collected samples which failed the parameters. It had also served a closure notice on the sugar mill on October 18.

As the sugar mill upgraded its anti-pollution control measures, the closure order was suspended on November 8. The HSPCB had also filed an analysis report, while the mill authorities had filed an affidavit about the improvement in situation.

The NGT, in its order, said steps to curb emissions had been taken only after tribunal proceedings.

Of the Rs25-lakh fine imposed on the sugar mill, Rs1 lakh has to be paid to advocate Kaushik as compensation.

The remaining amount, the NGT said, would be spent by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) on creating awareness about environment pollution and framing an appropriate scheme in consultation with the state legal authorities.