Puri: The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has imposed penalties on 50 hotels in connection with violation of pollution norms.
Sources said the pollution watchdog has directed 45 hoteliers to pay a penalty of `1 lakh each while the remaining five have been told to pay a fine of `50,000 each.
It is learnt that the SPCB has served penalty notices on the owners of hotel Naren Palace, Sea View, Pulin Puri, Jhandu Resort, SBI Holiday Home, Sea Palace and Tanuja Inn among others.
“We have served the penalty notices on 50 hoteliers and asked to pay the amounts within 15 days,” said SPCB regional officer Hadibandhu Panigrahi.
Hoteliers are bound to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate certificates from the SPCB as per the Water Prevention and Control Act-1974. However, many hoteliers in the Holy City do not have the twin certificates, sources said.
Intervening in the issue, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the SPCB to penalise hoteliers who have failed to either obtain or renew the twin certificates by August 6, 2015.
As per the NGT order, hoteliers who have failed to obtain the twin certificates would pay a penalty of `1 lakh each while those who did not renew their certificates would pay `50,000 each.
“We have so far imposed penalties on 265 hotels in the Holy City and collected around `1.5 crore in this regard,” Panigrahi said.
PNN
