Digital Desk |
New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to carry out a fresh exercise to identify illegally operating dyeing and jeans-washing units in Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat and Bahadurgarh and submit a further action-taken report within eight weeks.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, and comprising Expert Members Dr A. Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, was hearing two matters concerning allegations of illegal operation of red-category dyeing units and their discharge of pollutants into the Najafgarh drain despite closure directions.
The green tribunal took on record status reports filed by the HSPCB, detailing inspections and action taken against suspected illegal units in Gurugram, Bahadurgarh and Sonipat.
The report concerning Gurugram revealed that several units were found operating without valid consent to operate, while closure orders had been issued against some of them. Certain establishments were found dismantled, while electricity connections of some units had been disconnected.
In other cases, closure proceedings were still underway. In Bahadurgarh, the HSPCB reported that several jeans-dyeing and washing units had been sealed and their plant and machinery dismantled. Electricity connections of these establishments had also been permanently disconnected.
The status report further disclosed that it was processing environmental compensation against the identified units, with proposed amounts ranging from Rs 3.90 lakh to Rs 73.60 lakh in individual cases. Prosecution proceedings against the units and persons responsible for their establishment and day-to-day operations were also being initiated.
In Sonipat, the report listed five jeans-washing units that had been sealed, while closure action had been recommended against another unit.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the HSPCB submitted that it would undertake a further exercise to identify illegally operating dyeing units in the districts concerned and take appropriate action.
Recording the submission, the Justice Shrivastava-led Bench directed the HSPCB to file a further action-taken report within eight weeks.
The counsel appearing for the applicant also sought a fresh inspection exercise in Faridabad and submission of an updated report.
The green tribunal directed the HSPCB to undertake the exercise and file its findings within the same period. The matters have been listed for further hearing on February 26, 2027.
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