Ensure Transparent, Robust Inspection Of Industries: Centre To PCBs of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP

New Delhi: The Central government has asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and state Pollution Control Boards of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to ensure a transparent and thorough inspection of industries in their respective region.

The directive was issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas, under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), while taking note of gross violations of industrial pollution in the northern region.

It has also called upon the respective state Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) to take appropriate action in response, as this also signifies a systemic failure by the field staff.

Notably, northern India, encompassing the NCR, faces air pollution due to various factors, among which, industrial pollution is a key contributor. This presents serious health risks, especially for the elderly and children.

In its letter addressed to the Member Secretary of Delhi Pollution Control Committee and state PCBs of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Friday, a copy of which was accessed by ETV Bharat, the CAQM said, "You are aware that the Enforcement Task Force of the Commission is supported by 40 officers of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) conducting industrial inspections across the entire Delhi-NCR. These inspections reflect the kind of enforcement done at the state level through the State Pollution Control Boards."

The CAQM said based on the analysis of inspection reports of its flying squads, a pattern of violations, including serious ones, have been identified.

What Are The Violations?

According to the CAQM, the violations observed during the inspection of industries in the region include use of unapproved fuel in the industrial process, operation of unit without obtaining valid Consent to Operate (CTO), operation/expansion/change in process without consent, operation of boilers/furnaces not covered under the CTO without requisite statutory clearances, and air pollution control device (APCD) not installed, non-functional, defunct, inadequate, or not connected to all emission sources like boilers and furnaces, as well as leakage observed in input/output ducts of APCDs.

Bypass or direct discharge of emissions due to broken flue gas line, non-functional APCD, broken stack, or any arrangement allowing untreated emissions to escape into the environment was also noted. In addition, they observed violation of prescribed emission norms, including consistent or prolonged heavy visible black emissions, fugitive emissions from process areas due to inadequate pollution control measures, and improper covering/handling of raw materials, leakage in ducts or pipelines connected with APCDs, as well as non-availability of stack.

Among other, there are violations of DG (diesel generator) set regulations in industrial premises, including non-availability of Retrofit Emission Control Devices (RECD)/Dual Fuel Kit (DFK), absence of gas supply where required, operation of DG sets not complying with prescribed norms; no provision for stack monitoring, non-availability of stack emission monitoring reports for DG sets, improper stack height and/or damaged stack as per prescribed regulatory norms, and not providing stack emission test reports during inspections.

Referring to the violations, the CAQM asked the member secretaries to take note of the gross and other violations, along with their nature, as noted, and to initiate appropriate action, as it indicates systemic failure on the part of the field staff.

"The field staff should be sensitised, trained and directed to ensure that these violations are not repeated. In case perpetual non-compliance is observed, responsibility must be fixed and action against concerned officials initiated. Any deviation from the commission's directions will be viewed seriously and may invite stringent action," it said.

According to the latest MoEF&CC data, CAQM flying squads have inspected 26,498 units/projects/entities in the region, and handed out 1,743 closure directives due to non-compliance.