NGT asks environment ministry to frame guidelines for plywood industry

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The National Green Tribunal has asked the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to frame guidelines for plywood industries in the country.

The green body was hearing a matter regarding several plywood units causing pollution in a village in Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana.

In its order dated May 27, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said there was an "urgent need for framing of guidelines" regarding the plywood industries as guidelines had been framed by environment ministry or Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding other industries, such as, sand mining, stone crushers, brick kilns and common bio-medical waste treatment plants by laying down measures for preventing or controlling air and water pollution.

The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, said plywood industries had a pollution index of 78.3 and were included in the Orange' category of industries by the CPCB.

The bench, however, said that no guidelines had been framed regarding various aspects of plywood industries, including their location, pollution control devices for prevention and control of air and water pollution and safeguards to be adopted in the use of carcinogenic chemicals.

"Accordingly, MoEF&CC is directed to look into the matter and take appropriate measures for framing of requisite guidelines for plywood industries and to file an action taken report in this regard within six months," the tribunal said.

The CPCB classifies industries into four categories, Red (highest pollution), Orange (moderate pollution), Green (low pollution), and White (practically non-polluting). Other industries in 'Orange' category are textile manufacturing, food processing, certain metal extraction processes, hotels and restaurants, automobile servicing and repairs, and printing and ink manufacturing.