Ghaziabad: NGT orders strict action against illegal dyeing units in Loni

News18

3 days ago

New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and local authorities to ensure that no unauthorised dyeing units operate in Prem Nagar, Loni, Ghaziabad, following a detailed investigation into large-scale environmental violations.The case was filed by the Residents Welfare Association, Prem Nagar, alleging that several small-scale textile dyeing units were illegally operating without the necessary Consent to Operate (CTO), discharging untreated chemical effluents into local drains, and polluting groundwater. The waste ultimately flows into the Indrapuri drain, which meets the Yamuna River.A joint committee, constituted by the Tribunal, inspected all 286 industrial units in the area and found that 50 dyeing industries were operating, of which 34 had no valid CTO. Three electroplating units were also functioning without CTO.Groundwater samples from one location in Arya Nagar failed to meet permissible limits. None of the illegal units had installed Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), leading to direct discharge of pollutants into the Indrapuri drain.The UPPCB and the district administration have disconnected electricity to 30 of the 37 illegal units, with the remaining seven set to be cut off shortly.The NGT also noted that pollution in the Indrapuri drain is part of a larger case concerning multiple drains flowing into the Yamuna. The District Magistrate, Ghaziabad, has been ordered to prepare a time-bound action plan within three months to stop the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste into the drain, and to submit a compliance report to the Tribunal.Disposing of the matter, the NGT stated that surprise inspections must be carried out regularly to prevent any recurrence of illegal operations. (ANI)