416 industrial units shut in 5 years for flouting pollution norms in Faridabad

As many as 416 industrial units have been sealed on the charges of violating pollution norms in the past five years by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), according to sources in the board.

The units sealed were found to be engaged in works of various natures, including dyeing, electroplating, manufacturing aluminium ingots, plastic items, ready mix concrete (RMC) and textile-related operations. While a total of 154 units have been closed in the Faridabad region of the HSPCB, 262 units have faced similar action in the Ballabgarh region of the district, according to the details available.

Rising air and water pollution

The lack of swift action has led to the mushrooming of the units that could be blamed for the problem of rising water and air pollution. — Varun Gulati, local resident

It was revealed that the offending units had been functional without a sewage treatment plant (STP), effluent treatment plant (ETP) and the permission needed in the form of consent to operate (CTO) and consent to establish (CTE) from the HSPCB. The action has come in response to the directions given to the department in the wake of numerous complaints lodged with the authorities, including the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the sources said.

The units have been operating from various localities like Surya Vihar, Dabua Colony, Dheeraj Nagar, Kheri Road, Baselwa Colony, SGM Nagar, Indira Complex, Jeewan Nagar, Wazirpur Road, Nangla Enclave, Ghazipur Rad, Mathura Road, Faridpur, Panchsheel Colony, Udyog Vihar, Dabua-Pali road and the villages of Aitmadpur, Badkhal, Basantpur, Meethapur, Mavai, Tiplat, Bhatola, Daultabad, Bhankri, Pali, Kabul Patti and Rajpur Kalan of the Faridabad subdivision.

A large number of units have also been found in areas like Sector 58, Qureshipur, Rajiv Colony, Nekpur, Sanjay Colony, Nangla Gujran, Saroorpur and Madalpur villages, located within and outside the civic limits of Ballabhgarh.

These units had been discharging harmful chemicals in drains or in the open, resulting in the release of the untreated waste discharge into the Yamuna and other water bodies in the district, according to Narender Sirohi and Varun Gulati, both local residents, who have lodged several complaints with the authorities.

“The lack of swift action has led to the mushrooming of the units that could be blamed for the problem of rising water and air pollution,” said Varun, who had filed a Public Interest Litigation with the NGT. It was learnt that the action against units could not be taken due to their shifting to some other places before the raid.

Though the disconnection of power and water supply of the violating units is recommended, reconnection in some of the cases has also surfaced, according to the sources. Complaints against over 200 such units have been lodged in the past about two years, it was revealed.

“The drive against the units operating in violation of the pollution norms is on and an action would be taken in compliance with the regulations,” said Sandeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB, Faridabad.

Complaints lodged with authorities

The offending units had been functional without a sewage treatment plant (STP), effluent treatment plant (ETP) and the permission needed in the form of consent to operate (CTO) and consent to establish (CTE) from the HSPCB. The action has come in response to the directions given to the department in the wake of numerous complaints lodged with the authorities, including the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)