Road construction firm gets notice for causing pollution
In view of dense black smoke being emitted from the hot-mix plant run by Airef Engineers, Kandaghat, the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) today served a show cause on the company.
Airef Engineers is engaged in the widening to four lanes of a 22.91-km stretch of the Solan-Kaithlighat section of the National Highway-5, a project executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Regional Officer, SPCB, Parwanoo, Anil Kumar, took note of the complaints of black smoke emission from the plant, which is harmful for the health of the nearby villagers, besides adversely affecting their crops. He said, “Since a thick black smoke is emitting from the hot-mix plant, it appears that the air pollution control devices are not operational or they are not being appropriately maintained. This is a violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and also the condition of consent granted by the board to run this plant".
A show-cause notice was served under section 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, whereby 15 days were given to the firm to ensure proper operation of the pollution control devices. The company would be imposed an environmental compensation if it failed to comply with the directions. It could also face closure of its plant which would hit the four-laning work.
Villagers argued that regular black smoky emission on the Solan-Shimla highway has become a cause of concern.
According to the Environment Impact Assessment report prepared while seeking environmental clearances, the NHAI had enlisted a slew of mitigation measures. These stipulated that to check exhaust gas emissions from the various construction activities, the contractor shall take up various mitigation measures in the event of the emissions exceeding the State Pollution Control Board norms.
Other potential measures include plantation around the periphery of the plant. To ensure the efficacy of the mitigation measures suggested, air quality monitoring would be carried out at least once a season during the period the plant is in operation. Board officials informed that the company was in the process of rectifying its pollution mitigation devices as per the communication.
