Latest news with #ConsenttoOperate
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Ghaziabad: NGT orders strict action against illegal dyeing units in Loni
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 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 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 UPPCB and the district administration have disconnected electricity to 30 of the 37 illegal units, with the remaining seven set to be cut off 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 of the matter, the NGT stated that surprise inspections must be carried out regularly to prevent any recurrence of illegal operations. (ANI)
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
NGT directs TNPCB to enforce stricter norms for quarries
The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to adopt stricter standards while granting or renewing Consent to Operate (CTO) for quarrying and mining units across the State. Delivering the judgement in response to a cluster of cases on quarrying and mining violations, the bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satugopal Korlapati, said that no quarrying activity shall be allowed to continue unless all penalties for past environmental violations are fully recovered. In the cases addressed in the verdict, violations included non-compliance with mandated safety distances, absence of proper fencing and greenbelt development, failure to implement dust control measures, and extraction beyond approved limits. The Department of Geology and Mining has imposed penalties ranging from a few lakhs to over ₹33 crore, several of which are currently under appeal. Highlighting the severe environmental and health risks posed by dust emissions from quarrying operations, particularly from activities such as drilling, blasting, excavation, and transportation of materials on unpaved roads, the bench advised TNPCB to impose mandatory conditions such as water sprinkling, greenbelt development, laying of tarred roads, and enclosure of dust-generating equipment before granting any CTO. The order recommended that project proponents begin greenbelt development at the application stage itself to ensure saplings are adequately grown by the time operations commence. In its verdict, the bench made it clear the TNPCB must not grant fresh CTOs or renew existing ones unless full compliance with earlier directions and penalties is ensured. It also directed the authorities to initiate recovery proceedings under the Revenue Recovery Act wherever penalties remain unpaid.
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Assam gas leak: PCB serves show-cause notice to ONGC for unauthorised operations
Silchar: The Assam Pollution Control Board (PCBA) has issued a show-cause notice to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for operating their activities in Sivasagar district without proper environmental clearances following the natural gas leak from ONGC's Rudrasagar oilfield that began on June 12. Nearly 350 families were shifted to other places after the natural gas leak from ONGC's Rudrasagar oilfield that began on June 12. Nearly 350 families were shifted to other places after authorities failed to control the situation after the gas leak, prompting chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to suggest the company seal the well permanently. A special team from the United States was called, and the team reached Assam last Friday. The ONGC authorities on Sunday informed them that the flow of the gas leak has been slowed down, and additional machines have been brought to seal the well permanently. PCBA on June 21 issued a notice accusing ONGC of operating Well No. 147 at Bhatiapar–Barichuk in the Rudrasagar oilfield without securing the mandatory Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under multiple environmental legislations. According to PCBA, the ONGC has violated the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016. Calling it a serious breach, PCBA said, 'This notice reinforces the principle that no entity is exempt from environmental compliance, regardless of its size or status.' ONGC has been given 15 days to respond, failing which legal action, including penalties and Environmental Compensation Fines (ECFs) may be initiated under a 2019 National Green Tribunal order. According to PCBA, the ONGC authorities were advised to obtain the necessary environmental permissions in the past, but the instructions were allegedly ignored. PCBA said that the notice was issued after a recent inspection and during a visit, the special team found uncontrolled gas emissions from the well in Sivasagar, heightening concerns over environmental degradation and public health hazards. ONGC confirmed that gas pressure had significantly dropped and preparations had begun to seal the well. 'The noticeable reduction in gas pressure is a positive sign. Our teams, along with international experts, are now focused on the final capping operation,' ONGC said in a statement. Officials said that ONGC's Regional Crisis Management Team (RCMT) and the US experts are overseeing the operation round-the-clock and an extra-long boom crane was brought from Guwahati to remove tubings stacked on the rig, a crucial step in clearing the site for final sealing.
