PCB disconnects power of 194 indl units

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 20

In a bid to tighten noose around erring industrial units who were operating without a valid consent to operate, the officials of the State Pollution Control Board have ordered disconnection of 194 industrial units in the last one week.

Such mass power disconnection was not only an unprecedented move but it spoke volumes about the pendency existing in the board.

Information pertaining to consent of all industrial units was earlier uploaded on its website and the units lacking consent were directed to complete the formalities within a month. They were further granted another opportunity through newspaper advertisements but some units continued to adopt a defiance stance.

The move follows judicial scrutiny as several such cases, including a key paper manufacturing unit operating in the Baddi area, had come to light where despite applying for consent, it had been kept on hold for years. While in some cases the laid norms had not been complied but in many others the units had been denied timely renewal without a valid cause.

Board’s Member Secretary Dr RK Pruthi informed that as many as 1,104 consents were granted from January to September 20 while 94 cases were rejected. Apart from this, 434 and 3,034 cases were granted consent by the Senior Environment Engineers and Regional Officers, respectively, while 156 cases were also rejected by them as the laid conditions had not been complied with.

As many as 19 units comprise the red category industries whose pollution index score (PIS) was 60 and above while a majority of 168 units fall under the orange category having PIS of 41 to 59 . Merely seven units fall under the green category which were least polluting with PIS of 21 to 40. This categorization is made on the basis of quality of emissions and effluents, types of hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources. “The Parwanoo industrial area tops the list of units whose power disconnection orders have been issued by the board. This was followed by Baddi where 52 units will face the brunt.