NGT slaps interim fine of Rs 10 lakh on paper mill for causing pollution in Sitapur

The National Green Tribunal has imposed an interim fine of Rs 10 lakh on a paper mill in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district for causing pollution and extracting ground water illegally.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also directed a committee, formed by it, to assess the actual compensation within and asked the unit to deposit the amount with the Central Pollution Control Board which will be used for restoration of the environment.

"Let a further action taken report be furnished by CPCB, State Pollution Control Board and Central Ground Water Authority," the bench, comprising Justices S P Wangdi and K Ramakrishnan, said.

The green panel directed the committee to examine whether hardness of the water (amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium) in the area is due to contamination or other reasons.

The order came after the committee, comprising CPCB and state pollution control board, informed it about several violations including one borewell being installed without any permission.

"There is illegal extraction of ground water. Even though compliance of norms of water quality was shown, such compliance was doubtful. There is no flow meter for recycling of the effluent," the report said.

The committee also recommended that the unit should install acoustic enclosure and adequate stack height in all diesel generator sets and it should expedite to obtain NoC from CGWA for ground water abstraction.

The matter has been posted for next hearing on September 17.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Sitapur resident Ram Sharan seeking against J B Daruka Paper Limited for discharging untreated water contaminating the groundwater which has resulted in death of many animals.

The chimney of the paper mill emits black smoke causing severe air pollution, the plea said.