NGT asks CPCB to inspect polluting industries near U'khand village

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to inspect and take samples from industries located in the vicinity of an Uttarakhand village so that the polluting units can be shut.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore asked the CPCB to give the list of polluting industries, after conducting the inspection within within three weeks in the village in Udham Singh Nagar district, to the the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL).

"As we have been told that there are certain industries which are polluting, we direct the officers of CPCB to first inspect such industries and take samples(water/air). On confirmation about they being polluting, give a list of such industry to SIDCUL.

"Upon receipts of such list SIDCUL and Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board shall immediately stop the functioning of such industries. CPCB shall inspect all the industries expeditiously and in any case within three weeks," the bench said.

The matter will be heard on May 29.

The tribunal had earlier appointed senior advocate Raj Panjwani and advocate Meera Gopal to assist it on a complaint of the residents of an Uttarakhand village, alleging discharge of untreated chemical effluents in drains by industries located in the vicinity.

The villagers had contended that there was complete violation of environmental laws and pollution norms by a large number of industries at the SIDCUL industrial park, located in the vicinity of village Siddh Garbyang.

Terming the situation as alarming, the bench had directed its Registry to register the letter as a petition and asked the Uttarakhand state pollution control board to inspect the industrial units around the village.

The NGT had issued notices to the Uttarakhand government, District Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar, state pollution control board, Managing Director of SIDCUL and sought their responses.

The state pollution board was directed to identify the industries which were discharging untreated effluent and causing air and ground water pollution. It had also been asked to inform the tribunal on whether the industries were complying with the conditions of environment clearance.

"The pollution control board shall also collect samples of the effluents discharged, and of ground water coming out of the tubewells. Assess the smoke coming out of the chimneys and collect samples of soil of the agriculture fields so as to ascertain whether it has also been affected by industrial effluents," the bench had said earlier.

The complainants had said the industrial units were spewing black soot which deposited black dust on the village houses, especially in the morning and evening hours due to which it was difficult for the residents to sit outside their houses or do any work.

"During rainy season, the effluent spread over the agriculture fields and even the tubewells of the village are having coloured water which is not fit for human or animal consumption," the petition had said.

Maintaining it was unclear as to which industry was causing pollution or discharging discharging effluents in the drain, the villagers had said they had complained to various authorities.

The state pollution control board officers had also visited the sites and taken samples but no action was taken, they had said.