Punjab Pollution Control Board closes 2 violating units 

Ludhiana: Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary, Department of Science, Technology and Environment, in a press statement issued here today, informed that PPCB has received a complaint regarding use of HCl acid for pickling process by some of the industries against consented use of sulphuric acid. Therefore, Board carried out random inspections of acid pickling units through its officers. Show cause notice and personal hearing were given by the Board and action was taken against the violating units.

Verma informed that 02 violating units namely M/s Ravindra Alloys Industries, Street no. 3, Jaspal Bangar Road, Industrial Area-C, Ludhiana & M/s Sond Impex, E-92, Phase-IV, Focal Point, Ludhiana have been closed and Environmental Compensation of Rs. 12 lakh has been imposed to the 08 violating units namely M/s Ganpati Fasteners Pvt. Ltd., Location-II, Industrial Area-C, Ludhiana; M/s Ashoka Industrial Fasterners, E-108, Phase-IV, Focal Point, Ludhiana; M/s Bansal Industries, C-27, Phase-2, Focal Point, Ludhiana; M/s Ashoka Industrial Fasterners, E-116, Phase-IV, Focal Point, Ludhiana; M/s Amarjit Steel, 1699, Street no. 12, Dashmesh Nagar, Ludhiana; M/s Vishnu Wires, E-580, Phase-VII, Focal Point, Ludhiana, M/s Ashish International, E-409, Focal Point, Phase-6, Ludhiana & M/s Abhey Steels Pvt. Ltd., HB-19, Phase-6, Focal Point, Ludhiana (Rs. 1.5 Lac to each violating unit).

Anurag Verma informed that during inspection, a number of irregularities were found in the above said units. Samples of acids being used by these industries were also taken and observed that these industries are using HCl acid in acid pickling process although they have taken consent from the Board for use of Sulphuric Acid only. Moreover, these units are lifting spent HCl to a reprocessing unit located at Kohara operating under the name of M/s J.B.R Technologies Pvt. Ltd., which has infrastructure for treatment of spent Sulphuric Acid only.

Thus, these industries are maintaining in-appropriate disposal mechanism under the consent conditions due to change in the type of acid used without the permission of the Board. The final disposal of HCl based spent acid is doubtful and there is a likely hood of discharge into sewer as the facility lifting the spent acid does not have infrastructure or mandate to carry such effluent.

He further informed that a medium scale unit running under the name of M/s Vallabh Steels Ltd., Village-Nandpur, G.T. Road, Ludhiana was operating the unit without obtaining valid consents of the Board. Further, the unit has decreased the quantity of agreement for lifting of spent acid from 1,20,000 Liters per month 29,000 Liters per month without submission of any reason. Therefore unit has been imposed Environmental Compensation of Rs. 1.5 lakh by the Board.

He further informed that in case of minor violations, Board officers have been asked to re-visit the units.

He exhorted all the industries to comply with the pollution control laws so that the people can live in a clean and pollution free environment.