HSPCB issues closure notices to 12 factories for polluting water bodies
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has issued show-cause notices for closure of 12 factories in Jagadhri city for allegedly discharging untreated effluent into sewage systems, violating pollution control norms. These factories include units engaged in manufacturing metal, stainless steel, rolling mills and other industrial works.
The violations came to light after effluent samples collected from these factories failed quality tests during an inspection conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
A team from CPCB, deputed as part of a third-party inspection of gross polluting industrial units, conducted the inspection on October 21, 2024, in collaboration with HSPCB officials from Yamunanagar. The team included officials from NIT Delhi.
The inspection revealed several shortcomings in effluent treatment practices, with samples collected from the factories’ effluent treatment plant (ETP) outlets exceeding permissible pollution parameters.
According to the show-cause notices, these industrial units violated Section 24 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, by disposing of untreated effluent. The notices emphasised that no authority or individual is permitted to discharge untreated effluent into water streams, rivers, drains or land.
The notices said, “These units are in violation of the conditions of consent to operate (CTO) and are liable to pay environmental compensation as per HSPCB directives.”
“The show-cause notices for closure were issued to 12 industrial units under Section 33-A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,” said Virender Singh Punia, Regional Officer of HSPCB, Yamunanagar.
He said, “Environmental compensation will be imposed on these units and their consent to operate under both the Air and Water Acts shall be revoked.”
