HC orders restoration of power, water connections to tannery

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 16

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the restoration of electricity and water connections to a company for dry processing, which has paved the way for resumption of work by Jalandhar tanneries.

The permission is subject to “clearance of all dues and fulfilment of formalities”. The directions by the Division Bench of Justice Jaswant Singh and Justice Sant Parkash came on a petition filed against Punjab and another respondent by Lakshay International Private Limited through counsel Rohit Sud.

The Bench was told that the petitioner, a private limited company, was engaged in the business of leather tanning by use of both wet and dry processing in its plant situated in Jalandhar.

The petitioner’s premises was ordered to be sealed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board due to non-conforming to the norms laid down under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. It was in compliance with a direction passed by a High Court Division Bench on October 29, 2019, while it was examining the violation of the norms by the tanneries operating at Jalandhar.

Taking up the matter, the Bench observed the present writ petition was filed seeking directions for allowing the petitioner to operate its unit at least by use of the dry processing by restoring the electricity and water connections in terms of the consent granted by the Punjab Pollution Control Board vide letter dated May 22.

The Bench added: “At the time of hearing, it is not in dispute that the petitioner in the light of the consent letter, dated May 22, would be entitled to restoration of the electric and water connections for operating its unit by use of dry processing only. Accordingly, the prayer to that limited account is accepted and the writ petition is disposed of accordingly. The authorities concerned will restore the electricity and water connections subject to the clearance of all dues and fulfilment of formalities at the earliest.”

The High Court had earlier made it clear that the order of shutting down tanneries would remain in force till further orders and conformity to the Environment (Protection) Rules and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.

It had subsequently ordered the construction of a Reinforced Cement Concrete dilution water tank to collect waste that is discharged. For the purpose, Punjab was to provide Rs 1.53 crore.