NGT directs UPPCB to act against polluting industrial units in Sahibabad

The National Green Tribunal has directed the UP pollution control board to act within a month against polluting industrial units in Sahibabad area in Ghaziabad. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel accepted the recommendations of a joint committee comprising officers from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).

"We accept the recommendation of the joint committee and direct the UPPCB to take further appropriate action in accordance with law within one month, including initiating proceedings for assessment and recovery of compensation for damage caused to the environment on 'Polluter Pays' principle," the bench said. The tribunal noted that except Rathi Industries, no other non-compliant unit has any objection to the report.

"Objection of D K Garg, lawyer for Rathi Industries, is that the unit is now compliant and the report is erroneous. We are unable to accept this submission. Mere denial by the alleged non-compliant unit is not enough in the face of joint inspection report by a team of credible officers," the tribunal said in a recent order. The committee said three industries were found to be non complying with the terms of the consent granted under Air and Water Act --Goodluck Engineering Co, Rathi Industries Ltd and Advance Steel Tubes Ltd.

The order came on an application filed by environment activist Shailesh Singh before the NGT alleging that the ground water in Ghaziabad, particularly in the Link Road area of Sahibabad, is highly contaminated and several industrial units of the area are responsible for contamination and extracting high quantity of groundwater without permission from the Central Ground Water Authority for their industrial use.

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