23-04-2025
ACC cement plant now complying with green norms; pollution board urges NGT to dismiss villager's plea
The Adani Group's ACC Ltd Cement Plant at Barmana in Himachal Pradesh is now complying with the prescribed environment norms, a committee, which inspected the unit, has informed the National Green Tribunal. The same committee had around three months ago found multiple breaches in pollution control measures as mandated by the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB).
The committee submitted in NGT that the cement unit 'was found complying with ambient air quality norms for PM₁₀, SOx, and NOx parameters' as prescribed in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) 'at six locations monitored between March 24 and 26, 2025'.
The committee, comprising Dr Narendra Sharma, Scientist 'F', Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); engineer Pawan Sharma, HPSPCB; and Bilaspur SDM Abhishek Kumar Garg, submitted the report before the NGT on April 15.
The committee was originally constituted in response to a complaint lodged in September 2024 by Kashmir Singh of Khetad village near Barmana. During its initial inspection on January 18, the committee had identified three major shortcomings at the plant: inadequate dust control measures, the absence of a three-layer tree plantation, and deficiencies in the installed truck-tyre washing systems. The findings were submitted to the NGT in a report dated January 24.
As per the supplementary report, the committee observed that Singh's residence is the only dwelling located along a 500-metre stretch of road used by both cement plant trucks and the villagers. While the cement unit had implemented intermittent water sprinkling on this route using tankers, the committee has now recommended installing permanent sprinklers to control dust generated by movement of trucks.
In response to Singh's request, the committee arranged for the installation of an ambient air quality sampler at his residence. However, the location did not fully meet CPCB guidelines due to several technical constraints. Nevertheless, the committee proceeded with the sampling exercise at the complainant's insistence, while clearly documenting the non-compliance with standard monitoring protocols.
In a separate affidavit, the HPSPCB prayed before the tribunal to dismiss the plea filed by Singh in light of the updated compliance status. 'In view of the submissions made…it is prayed that the petition may kindly be dismissed…any other order deemed fit and appropriate may be passed in the interest of justice,' the board stated.
The committee also confirmed that emissions from five major stacks—including those attached to the cooler ESP, coal mill, and cement mills—were within permissible limits.
ACC Ltd reported that it had undertaken a series of pollution control measures to address concerns raised in previous inspections. These include installation of mist fog guns and rain guns across critical locations, including around the boundary wall and internal roads, development of a three-layer plantation near the complainant's poultry farm and the packing section, with ongoing efforts to green vacant spaces within the premises, deployment of interconnected pollution control systems to prevent dust emissions beyond the plant boundary, coverage of clinker, ash, and cement silos with appropriate devices to minimize emissions.
Other measures undertaken included the use of rain guns on fly ash bulkers, exit routes to control fugitive dust, installation of a 130-metre-long, nine-meter-high MS sheet barrier toward the complainant's property, with further extension underway, installation of two tyre-washing systems at the raw material and truck exit gates, and an oil and grease separation unit, laying of interlock tiles at the truck exit gate and upgradation of the clinker loading station with sliding doors, mist guns, and coverage of cement loading bays with GI sheets and transparent curtains.
