RMC plants in Mohali irk neighbouring industrialists

Harshabab Sidhu

Mohali, March 14

Two ready mix concrete (RMC) plants — Nuvoco Vistas Corp and Ultratech Concrete — at Industrial Area, Phase 3, here have irked local industrialists. Owners of industries and showrooms of the locality allege that these plants are polluting the environment and damaging the infrastructure. There are around ten such plants in the city of which two are in Industrial Area, Phase 3.

The heavy vehicles laden with cement and gravel can be easily seen in front of these plants due to which roads of the locality have also been broken many times.

Plot owners of the locality alleged that the plants emanate dust and dirt. In the rainy season, water logging can be seen in front of the gates and on the roads, which got broken due to the heavy vehicles.

One of the complainants said, “They are suffering a lot from the dust and dirt problem. Secondly, damaged roads due to the heavy vehicles of concrete plants are also adding to our woes.”

Complainants allege that the root cause of the problem are overloaded trucks and authorities have failed to keep a tab on them.

Officials of Ultratech Concrete plant, however, claimed that they had taken all required permissions from the pollution control board and have fulfilled the requirements needed for any concrete plant. Jatinder Randhawa, Manager, Ultratech Concrete, said they are using the cement in closed packages unlike other plants that use loose cements.“I cannot say about other plants in the area, but we are not bothering anyone. We have done all the arrangements complete.” He added that, “We have complained many times to the MC to make a drain in the area. The only drain in the area is already choked.”

Avnish Kumar, Manager, Nuvoco Vistas Corp said they had received a notice from the MC regarding road damage. Now, we have repaired the road on our expenses, he said.

Kuljeet Bedi, a local councillor, said, “They have damaged the internal roads of the Industrial Area. We have raised the issue in the house also. They are causing hardships to other industrialists.”

AK Sharma, Environment Engineer, PPCB, said they came to know that these two plants were not consented since last one year. Action will be taken against them if they violate the norms while adding that emission of dust and dirt from these plants in the air is a violation.