Three years on, Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation fails to pay environmental penalty
Mukesh Tandon
Sonepat, May 13
The Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has failed to deposit the environmental compensation of Rs 15 lakh which was levied by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) three years ago for the non-compliance of norms by its 16-MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Barhi. Now, the HSPCB has approached its headquarters to recover the fine.
Samples failed lab tests
- An environmental compensation of Rs 15 lakh was levied by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board on Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) three years ago for the non-compliance of norms by its 16-MLD CETP at Barhi.
- The samples from the plant had failed lab tests, which meant that highly polluted effluents were flowing into Drain Number 6, causing serious damage to the environment.
- Several reminders were sent to the HSIIDC, but to no avail. Not only did it fail to deposit the fine, it also failed to comply with norms.
Proposal to increase fine from Rs 15L to Rs 1.9 cr
The Regional Officer, HSPCB, has now proposed an environmental compensation of Rs 1.94 crore upon the HSIIDC officials, which is under consideration at the headquarters. Besides, prosecution action has also been initiated against the officers concerned of the HSIIDC by the HSPCB, said sources.
As per information, HSPCB officials had carried out an inspection at the CETP of Barhi, which was established by the HSIIDC, on October 30, 2020. It was found that several parameters exceeded the prescribed limits. On March 8, 2021, the regional officer apprised the senior manager of the HSIIDC, Barhi, of the reports and lab results of the samples. He was reminded that the Barhi CETP was covered under the ‘Red Category’ as it had to treat highly polluted effluents of the industries in the area. The samples from the plant had failed lab tests, which meant that highly polluted effluents were flowing into Drain Number 6, causing serious damage to the environment.
An HSPCB committee examined the case and on March 26, 2021, it imposed an environmental compensation upon the senior manager, HSIIDC, Barhi, for the damage caused to the environment by way of discharge of environmental pollutants into the drain.
Thereafter, the Pradeep Kumar, Regional Officer, HSPCB, Sonepat, directed the senior manager of the HSIIDC to deposit the penalty account within 30 days, but it failed to do so.
Sources said several reminders were sent to the HSIIDC, but to no avail. Not only did it fail to deposit the compensation but, it also failed to comply with the norms.
The sources said the CETP had been violating the norms since February 2022.
The Regional Officer, HSPCB, has now proposed a environmental compensation of Rs 1.94 crore upon the HSIIDC officials, which is under consideration at the headquarters. Apart from this, prosecution action has also been initiated against the officers concerned of the HSIIDC by the HSPCB, the sources added.
The MD, HSIIDC, had committed to the upgrade of the CETP by March 31. Now, the deadline has been revised to May 31, according to the sources. The Regional Officer, Sonepat, said a letter had been sent to the Chairman of the HSPCB to take up the issue with the HSIIDC at the headquarter level for the recovery of the compensation.
