Notices served on 42 illegal Sonepat denim-dyeing units

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, August 29

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has served notices on 42 illegal jeans-dyeing units found operational in Friends Colony and the Pyau Manyari area of Kundli in Sonepat, reportedly for violating pollution norms and for emitting effluent without treatment in open areas.

As per sources, the HSPCB has already sealed 12 of these illegal units, served closure notices on 16 and the process to serve closure notice on 14 industries was in the pipeline. It was found that maximum of these illegal dyeing units were unnamed and all were operating without any valid consent to operate (CTO) and consent to establishment (CTE) during the physical survey conducted by the HSPCB team.

16 given closure notices

• As per sources, the HSPCB has already sealed 12 of these illegal units, served closure notices on 16 and the process to serve closure notice on 14 industries was in the pipeline.
• Maximum of these illegal dyeing units were unnamed and all were operating without any valid consent to operate and consent to establishment during the physical survey conducted by the HSPCB team.

Even, these units have no effluent treatment plant and they were discharging their effluent directly into drains. These dyeing units are polluting in nature and covered under the Red category as per the categorisation list of the pollution control board. Varun Gulati, a social activist in Delhi, had filed a complaint to the HSPCB against these units last year.

Survey found All such units unnamed

We have identified 42 illegal units there during the survey and maximum of these units were found unnamed. All these units are illegal as they have no consent to operate, consent to establishment or any other approval from the board. —Bhupender Singh Chahal, RO, HSPCB, Sonepat

Action will be initiated

We have been taking note of illegal bleaching and dyeing units because these are a health hazard and create a lot of water pollution. Action will be initiated against all such illegal bleaching and dyeing units accordingly.

S Narayanan, member secretary, hspcb

He alleged that the units were discharging their effluents directly into the drain without treatment, which joined the Yamuna. The effluents discharged were a big cause of pollution in the Yamuna, he said. He further alleged that he also approached the higher officials at the headquarters regarding his complaint, after he found no action was taken at the local level. Following the complaint, the HSPCB team conducted a survey and identified 42 illegal denim-dyeing units operational there.

Taking serious note of it, Senior Environment Engineer also visited the area of Pyau Manyari and Friends Colony in Kundli. Bhupender Singh Chahal, RO, HSPCB, Sonepat, said, “We have identified 42 illegal units there during the survey and maximum of these units were found unnamed. All these units are illegal as they have no CTO, CTE or any other approval from the board.” S Narayanan, Member Secretary, HSPCB, said, “We have identified a total of 42 illegal units during a special drive, out of which 12 units have been closed down, while closure notices have been served on 16 units and the process of issuing closure notices are in the pipeline as all these denim-dyeing units have been found to be illegal during the inspection.” “We have been taking note of the illegal bleaching and dyeing units because these are a health hazard and create a lot of water pollution. Action will be initiated against all illegal bleaching and dyeing units accordingly”, Naryanan claimed.