Pollution board initiates closure action against 21 plants

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has initiated closure action against 21 ready mix concrete plants (RMC), which were found operational without valid consent to establishment (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) near Dadlana village of the district and adjoining area of Karnal district.

The HSPCB, in its reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), said no RMC plant could be operational without valid CTE and CTO.

Pradeep Dagar, Member Secretary, HSPCB, in his reply to the NGT, said the RMC should not be operated under any circumstances until valid CTO was obtained from the HSPCB. Therefore, directions under Section 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act and Section 31-A of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act for closure/non-operation were issued against the plants.

Following the compliance of the NGT’s order on July 17, a meeting was convened by the district administration of Panipat and Karnal to review and ensure regulatory control over the plants.

The Panipat DC, Dr Virender Kumar Dahiya, recently directed the district mining officer to monitor the supply of construction material from the licensed source as the monitoring of such suppliers shall help in detection and prevention of illegal operation of RMC plants.

Dahiya also directed the MC, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Public Works departments to ensure that all plants installed for government works had valid CTE and CTO.

The Town & Country Planning Department has been directed to keep vigil over any illegal establishment of RMC within its jurisdiction and to initiate immediate proceedings for its demolition.

The DC further said the IOCL refinery should direct all its subcontractors to obtain requisite permissions from the HSPCB and other departments concerned prior to commencement of the operations to ensure strict compliance with environmental norms.

Similarly, the Karnal administration has held a meeting and the DC has also given necessary directions to the departments concerned.

Deepak of Dadlana village had filed a complaint with the NGT last year about illegal RMC plants and alleged that the plants emitted huge quantities of dust, which was causing health issues among local people.

Following the complaint, the NGT constituted a committee comprising the District Magistrate, HSPCB and CPCB. The committee found 21 RMC plants — 16 in Panipat district limits and five in Karnal district — near the IOCL refinery near Dadlana village.