NGT panel for ₹1.1-cr penalty against four Ludhiana dyeing units
A FINE OF ₹25 LAKH RECOMMENDED AGAINST THREE FIRMS FOR RELEASING UNTREATED WASTE
LUDHIANA: Tightening noose around the dyeing industry polluting the Buddha Nullah by dumping untreated water into the sewerage, the monitoring committee of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recommended environmental compensation of ₹1.1 crore to be paid by four firms.
Checking was conducted at four units by the monitoring committee of the NGT on November 15 and samples were collected from their effluent treatment plants. The owners of two units have also been accused of misleading the committee members by diluting the waste water being dumped into the sewerage.
The samples were sent to Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) laboratory in Patiala and the report cited high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR).
The recommendations have been made against Om Processors Private Ltd, Oriental Knit Fab Pvt Ltd (Industrial Area-a), Sunshine Dyeing Pvt Ltd (Industrial Area A), and Ramal Dyeing near Jalandhar bypass.
For Om Processors and Ramal Dyeing, the panel has recommended penalty of ₹25 lakh and ₹35 lakh, respectively with recommendation to reduce production by 20%. The owners should also be asked to meet the guidelines in three months.
Oriental Knit and Sunshine Dyeing have been asked to deposit ₹25 lakh. The unit owners have also been accused of misleading the panel by diluting the waste water. The panel has asked the PPCB officials to conduct composite sampling of waste water at the units every hour for 12 hours on two consecutive days.
Member of the NGT monitoring committee and environmentalist, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, said the recommendations have been made by the monitoring committee and the final decision will be taken by the NGT. “The NGT can reduce or increase the penalty,” said Seechewal, adding the said amount will be usedforrejuvenationofthesutlej river.
The MC and the PPCB are at loggerheads over the issue for a long time as the civic body blaming the PPCB for its failure to check release of untreated water by dyeing units.