Five illegal scrap burning units dismantled in Sonepat

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) dismantled five scrap melting units and their furnaces in Ferozpur Bangar area in Kharkhoda.

The units were found operational while the team visited the area. Earlier, the HSPCB had also sealed eight scrap melting units in the Ferozpur Bangar area on November 4.

The HSPCB has initiated action against these scrap melting units on the complaint of a Delhi-based environmentalist, Varun Gulati. Gulati, in his complaint on the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) portal, on October 10 said that scores of scrap burning units were operational in the Ferozepur Banger area of Sonepat district.

The burning of scrap releases hazardous emissions that are detrimental to human health and the unchecked operation of these illegal units was creating a highly toxic environment in the region, the complainant alleged.

Gulati said these units were violating the norms under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act-1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act-1981 and also violating the norms set by the HSPCB.

Following the complaint, the team of the HSPCB carried out a special inspection in the area on Thursday and found five such scrap melting units operational there.

Taking a strict action, the HSPCB officials dismantled all the furnaces in these units, which were being used in the melting of aluminum and other metal scrap.

As per the schedule by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the metal scrap melting units are being counted under the red category industries but, in these units all air and water pollution norms were violated, said Gulati.

The metal burning or melting units can be run only after getting proper consent to operate (CTO) and consent to establishment (CTE) from the HSPCB. But, these units were operating without getting any CTO or CTE, he said.

As per the sources, the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) has imposed the ban orders under the stage-3 of the graded response action plan (GRAP-3) after the air quality index (AQI) deteriorated badly in the NCR.

The team found such units burning their scraps openly in their furnaces without obtaining the valid CTO and CTE from the pollution board, the sources said.

Pradeep Singh, Regional Officer (RO), HSPCB, said five scrap melting units were found operational in the Ferozepur Bangar area. All furnaces have been dismantled on the spot, while notices would be served upon these units as per the pollution norms.

He said the CAQM has imposed ban orders under the GRAP-3 stage in the NCR, which has been implemented from Friday morning. The teams have been continuously conducting inspection and initiating action against violators in the district, the Regional Officer added.