NGT imposes Rs 60 lakh eco fine on liquor factory in Samalkha
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a total of Rs 60 lakh environmental compensation upon a liquor factory in Samalkha for violating environmental norms and for discharging untreated effluent in the drain flowing adjacent to the unit.
The unit had already deposited Rs 27 lakh as interim environmental compensation to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) on August 6.
Crops getting damaged
Ramesh Kumar, a farmer in Chulkana village, had filed a complaint to the HSPCB and NGT regarding discharge of effluents, chemical and gases by Haryana Organics Limited, a liquor manufacturing unit in Samalkha, which was destroying and adversely affecting his crops.
The NGT has directed the HSPCB to impose upon the liquor factory and recover from it an additional environmental compensation of Rs 33.6 lakh. It has also directed to give Rs 5 lakh out of Rs 27 lakh to the complainant, who is a farmer of Chulkana village. The environmental court directed the HSPCB to prepare and implement an action plan of Rs 22 lakh for protection and improvement of environment in the area.
Ramesh Kumar, a farmer in Chulkana village, had filed a complaint before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) about damage to the environment due to discharge of untreated effluents. Ramesh had complained to the HSPCB and the NGT regarding discharge of effluents, chemical and gases by Haryana Organics Limited, a liquor manufacturing unit in Samalkha, which was destroying and adversely affecting his crops.
Following the complaint, the NGT constituted a joint committee in February and directed it to submit the factual ground report of the unit.
The joint committee comprising senior environment engineer of the Central Pollution Control Board, Panipat SDM and HSPCB Regional Officer conducted the inspection of the unit on March 14 and submitted its report to the NGT on May 28.
The NGT directed compliance of suggestions made on the basis of the report of samples collected from the liquor manufacturing unit.
The joint team found biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) more than the permissible limits.
Apart from this, a team of IIT, Delhi, also visited the unit and conducted an inspection on July 4 as a third party. Later, the unit was inspected by the HSPCB in August-end to verify the compliance of suggestions by the unit.
As per the report submitted to the NGT by the HSPCB, the unit was engaged in manufacturing of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL), country liquor, rectified spirit, extra neutral alcohol and ethanol. Following the reports, the HSPCB — on the basis of the inspection —served a show-cause notice to Haryana Organics Limited.
The HSPCB recommended an additional fine of Rs 33.6 lakh on the unit for violating pollution norms and discharging untreated effluents in drain adjacent to the liquor factory.
