Defaulting industries to pay 'pollution charge'

The Orissa government will levy ‘pollution charges’ from the defaulting industries and mines which are not adhering to various environmental norms.

The chief minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal of the state forest and environment department to this effect.

According to the guidelines framed for collection of pollution charges, the levy will be five times that of the consent fee, if a particular unit is established without environmental permission or consent to establish.

Similarly, the charge will be twice the consent fee for the industrial units or mines operating without obtaining the permission or consent to start operation.

On the other hand, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) will decide the charge if the unit was running without pollution control equipments.

The board has been mandated to constitute a committee for this purpose which will have an official from the state forest and environment department as member. The government will review the collection of levy after one year, sources added.

“The government has asked OSPCB to take strong action against the defaulting units”, Bhagirathi Behera, director (environment), Orissa government told Business Standard.

It may be noted, OSPCB served show cause notice to forty three mines for violation of various norms under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 during 2008-09. Twenty one industrial units were served closure notice by the board under the environmental protection act, 1986 during that year.

The state government received 61complaints regarding water and air pollution by industrial units in the state last year. While 15 of them belonged to large industry category, 46 units were in the small and medium sector.