Baddi unit power supply cut for releasing effluents into nullah

Two weeks after the Dabur India’s shampoo manufacturing unit at Billanwali village in Baddi was found discharging industrial effluents into a nullah, the State (PCB) has ordered disconnection of its power supply.

“In its orders issued last evening by the board’s chairman, the unit has been directed not to use alternative sources of energy like diesel-run generator sets while further stating that non-compliance of the orders can attract a penalty of Rs 10,000 and imprisonment up to seven years,” said Chief Engineer, State Pollution Control Board, Baddi, Praveen Gupta.

Several cases to fore

• In view of the delay in taking prompt action against the erring units, several such cases have come to fore during the current monsoon season
• A nullah near a gas plant in Baddi had transformed into dark blue due to discharge of untreated effluents into it on August 29 by some unit
• A tractor-trailer was caught red-handed dumping effluents from a biopharmaceutical company into the Ratta river at Bhud village on September 6

The board officials had received a telephonic complaint on August 29 where froth formation was found at Sandholi Nullah in Baddi. An inspection of the catchment area of the nullah was conducted by the staff where spillage of raw material from the shampoo manufacturing unit of Dabur India was detected. Its samples were drawn for lab analysis and the unit was found discharging untreated effluents into the drain in violation of the norms.

A show cause notice was issued to the unit management on August 30 and they were directed to shut the operation of its shampoo manufacturing section besides plugging all leakages. They were also asked to clean the ground water recharge pit while separating all storm water drains from the effluent drains.

The lab samples, while further confirming the laxity of the unit staff, confirmed that the prescribed standards for discharge of environmental pollutants had been exceeded.

The unit management, however, requested for re-sampling following which the regional officer of the board was directed to submit a fact-finding report on the issue. The unit was re-inspected on September 5 where it was observed that some repair work was in progress but its re-sampling results too exceeded the prescribed norms.

In view of the stark violations the field staff recommended disconnection of the power supply of the unit funder section 33A of the Water (Pollution and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.