Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation unit shut in Nagpur for violating pollution norms

NAGPUR: There seems to be no end to environmental and public health hazards from industries. In a recent case, tip-off from alert citizens helped expose a hazardous practice, in which harmful acid from a steel and power unit was being discharged in a nearby water body.
The case is of Shilpa Steel and Power Limited, against which the regional office of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued closure directives.
Known to be a “habitual offender”, the unit has been charged of violating serious pollution control norms by releasing hazardous spent acid, which is a waste product, into a nearby nullah. The industry is located at MIDC Butibori.
According to MPCB officials, Butibori police officials received a tip-off against this illegal practice. “The cops were keeping an eye on the area. On the night of June 26, they caught two tankers, having capacity of 30 kilolitres each, while trying to dump the waste in the water body. They were about to release the acid when the police officials nabbed them. A first information report (FIR) was also filed,” said MPCB’s sub-regional officer Hema Deshpande.
On receiving information from police, MPCB officials carried out spot inspection. “The pH of the effluent in the tanker was found to be highly acidic. This acid, which is generated from the pickling unit, was found accumulated in the nearby nullah,” said the board’s sub-regional officer Anand Katole.
As per the board, it had earlier too warned the unit for violating norms. In December 2016 also, the board had disconnected electricity and water supply to the unit as it was found practising the same illegal technique.
This is the second time that the board has taken stern action against the unit. “Also, the quantity of hazardous waste generated from the effluent treatment plant has found to be more than the consented quantity. The tankers used for transportation of the waste did not have the mandatory authorization under Hazardous Waste and Other Waste Rules, 2016,” the MPCB’s closure notice stated.
As per officials, the industry cannot re-start its operations till it complies with the regulations. “If they apply for re-opening, a hearing will take place. Only if we are assured that all the compliances are meeting, we will think on the lines of letting the unit re-start,” they added.
The board took the action under relevant provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.