Paradip: Even as Paradip is fast emerging as a major industrial and petro-chemical hub in the state, its pollution levels have grown alarmingly. So much so that seven of the industrial units in the town were slapped with heavy penalties for pollution.
According to reports, the port is the second largest in the country with fertilizer plants nearby. Some heavy industries and petrochemical plants also operate in the city.
As most of the industrial units contribute to pollution, the State Pollution Control Board had issued notices to 15 units five years ago. But the industries had pooh-poohed the notices of the SPCB.
Meanwhile, seven such industrial units have received a jolt from the National Green Tribunal. On the basis of the SPCB reports, the NGT has imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore each on the seven industries. The penalty notices to these industrial units were served January 29, 2020 vide letter-995.
According to the notices, the penalties were imposed on these polluting industries under section 31(Air pollution) of Prevention of Pollution and Control Act-1981, section-31-A (water pollution) of Prevention and Control of Pollution Act 1981.
The industrial units that have been imposed penalty of Rs 1 crore each are Paradip Port, Essar Steel, Essar Power, PPL, IFFCO, Paradip Oil Refinery, Goa Carbon while those having got notices of penalty raging Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh are Aristocrat, Nandighosh and International Hotel.
Between 2015/16 and 2019/20, these industries contributed to the air and water pollution in the port city.
This area was declared as a Pollution Industrial Area since 2015 with Paradip being tagged in the Red Category in terms of pollution in 2016. As pollution kept on growing in the port city, it was declared as a Critically Polluted Area September 19, 2019.
These industries were asked to deposit their penalty at the member-secretary of the SPCB within 15 days. However, no industrial units have paid the penalty by Thursday, sources said.
Meanwhile, some companies said they would abide by the notice while others are likely to move court against it.
Notably, the port city is witnessing continual pollution even though the state government has begun an environment impact assessment of areas lying close to the industrial zone in its bid to sustain its surroundings.
The government has laid emphasis on environment control measures as Paradip is striding towards massive industrialisation. With the Centre bracketing Paradip under its mega petroleum, chemicals and petro-chemical investment region (PCPIR), the importance of the port town has gone up manifold.
