By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, MAY 30: A representation by a public spirited citizen has sought shutting down of 12 polluting cement industries in Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills region of the state for allegedly operating without ‘primary effluent treatment plant’, which is mandatory as per a Supreme Court order.
In a letter addressed to the state chief secretary, Sajay Laloo said, “To avoid further legal complications in the matter and also contempt of Supreme Court’s order and direction, it is requested that immediate action be taken against the cement industries and other polluting industries in Meghalaya.”
“Disconnection of electricity supply to them and to shut them down immediately after the inspection at the earliest as any delay in dealing with such dangerous polluting industries may lead to irreversible and irreparable damage to the environment and the citizenry residing in the affected areas,” he added.
The letter, which was also sent to additional chief secretary in-charge Forest &Environment department and Member Secretary of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), was after the government’s failure to take action as per direction of Supreme Court in an order passed on February 22.
He informed that 11 cement industries in Khasi and Jaintia Hills region and one in Garo Hills region do not even have a primary effluent treatment plant installed and yet they are being allowed to run and pollute the atmosphere around them.
Moreover, two cement industries have ‘primary effluent treatment plant’ installed but they are not as per the requirement prescribed under the relevant rules and regulations and are totally ineffective in curbing air pollution and trapping sulfur smoke, he added.
According to him, due to lack of effective and functional ‘primary effluent treatment plant’ in the cement industries operating in Meghalaya these toxic pollutants are directly being released in the air and causing acid rains in the area besides other harmful effects on flora, fauna and citizenry of the area.
“Despite clear and categorical directions passed by the Supreme Court, the polluting cement industries are still functioning without installing a ‘primary effluent treatment plant’ or even if some of them have the ‘primary effluent treatment plant’ it is not functional,” Laloo added.
He further slammed the MSPCB for its alleged failure to take action against the polluting industries, which continues to be provided with electricity supply contrary to the directions of the Supreme Court.
Referring to the Court’s order, Laloo said that the Supreme Court had granted liberty even to private citizens to submit complaints regarding non- compliant industries with the concerned State Pollution Control Board and the latter is obliged to take action on such complaint.
“As per the Supreme Court’s directions, the MSPCB is obliged to shut down these polluting cement industries immediately after verification of the facts stated in the complaint,” he added.
He also said that the data of polluting industries given does not include the similar polluting cement industries operating in Garo Hills region where situation is equally grim.
Several Industries (Rwiang in West Khasi Hills and Byrnihat areas in Ribhoi District) in Meghalaya are using Charcoal as energy sources.
According to him, this is highly illegal as Charcoal is a forest products and none-of the industries are supposed to use any of the forest products.
Meanwhile, Laloo also said that cement industry has been categorized as highly polluting industry by the Central Pollution Control Board as it emits particulate matter, dust, sulfur-di-oxide and nitrogen-di-oxide which are dangerous pollutants of air and water and also cause acid rains in the affected area.
Even the present Chief Minister of Meghalaya has admitted the fact that the Cement Industries are the major Polluting Industries in Meghalaya.
“However, surprisingly, as per the reply received from the MSPCB it appears like both the Chief Minister and Central Pollution Control Board are wrong and the Cement Industries in Meghalaya are not polluting industries,” he stated.
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