Cases filed against Bhushan firms for green rule violation

Dhenkanal district administration today filed two cases against Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) and its subsidiary Bhushan Energy Ltd (BEL) for violating environment rules.

The cases have been registered against the companies with Neeraj Singal, vice chairman and the managing director of BSL, as the principal respondent. BSL and BEL have their steel and power plants at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district.

“Show cause notices were issued to the company for violation of environment norms. We have filed cases against the company as the replies submitted by them were not satisfactory. Two cases have been filed at the court of SDJM (Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate) under section 15 and 16 of Environment Protection Act, and under section 72 of Environment Impact Assessment Act,” said an official of the district administration. Earlier this month, the state forest and environment department had issued letter to Dhenkanal collector asking him to initiate legal action against BSL authorities as per a direction received from Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in February this year.The MoEF had decided to act against BEL after it was found that the company had undertaken construction of 440 Mw power plant near steel plant of its sister concern BSL without obtaining environmental clearances.

Though BEL had proposed to set up a 2,000 Mw coal-fired power plant, its first unit comprised of 300 Mw capacity, which was later upgraded to 440 Mw by adding three units of 27 Mw each and two other units with 20 Mw and 15 Mw capacities without having statutory clearances.

The BEL was even supplying power to state grid since 2009 along with other co-generation power plants of the state. However, it stopped generation last year, when the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) sealed its power unit on allegation of flouting green laws.

There was allegation that BEL had violated rules pertaining to air and water pollution control measures. The district administration had launched an investigation after local residents complained that the company was dumping fly ash outside the plant premises and discharging hazardous effluent into a nearby drain.

BSL said, they have always respected the law of the land and will place all the records for their defence in the court of law. “We would abide by the law of the land, which we always have done. We will produce the documents in the court while representing for the cases,” said Sanjeeb Kapoor, vice president of BSL.