Cotton ginning and seed processing discharge industrial effluents and hazardous waste in agricultural fields for years in Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana
Polluting units directed by the National Green Tribunal to pay around Rs 1.3 crore Environmental Compensation
V. Nilesh | Hyderabad
More than Rs One crore Environmental Compensation is to be paid by 17 cotton ginning and seed processing units in Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana, for violation of environmental laws that continued with impunity for years.
The cotton ginning and seed processing units discharged untreated industrial effluents and hazardous waste into the nearby agricultural farms, destroying the environment by turning the soil and groundwater acidic in the region.
The issue came to light after P Madhusudhan Reddy of Vitalapuram village, Maldakal mandal of Jogulamba Gadwal district petitioned the National Green Tribunal seeking action against the polluting cotton ginning and seed processing units.
Reddy had alleged that the cotton ginning and seed processing units use chemicals such as Sulphuric acid but don't process the effluents as per government norms and discharge the untreated effluents in agricultural fields.
Reddy also raised an issue with permission granted by Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) to the cotton ginning and seed processing units, allowing them to transport and get their effluents treated 300 kilometers away at the Jeedimetla Common Effluent Treatment Plant.
Following the petition, the NGT set up a Joint Committee of experts to conduct an investigation into the allegations against the cotton ginning and seed processing units.
Environmental violations observed by the Joint Committee during their inspections include:
- Around Rs 1.3 crore levied as Environmental Compensation by the TSPCB on 17 cotton ginning and seed processing units is yet to be paid.
- None of the units were found to be sending their effluents to the Jeedimetla CETP for treatment and more than 60 percent of the effluents generated by the units were just being discharged into agricultural lands.
- Lagoons of acidic effluents with pH values as low as 1.29 were found abutting the compound walls of one of the units. One of the units had been storing the effluents in tanks for more than nine months rather than getting them immediately treated at the Jeedimetla CETP.
- Few of the companies were found to be operating without a valid Consent for Operation(CFO) from the TSPCB for more than 1-2 years.
- The industries were not maintaining any records for generation and disposal of used oil to authorized user /recycler as per the Hazardous & other wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
- While all the cotton ginning and seed processing units employed 40-50 workers, none of them provided basic toilet facilities for the workers.
The Joint Committee in its report presented to the NGT recommended that all the cotton ginning and seed processing units must pay the Environmental Compensation levied on them by TSPCB for violation of environmental norms.
Passing its order on the matter earlier this month, on February 3, the NGT directed that the polluting cotton ginning and seed processing units must pay the Environmental Compensation within 15 days, and take up all corrective steps prescribed by the Joint Committee to stop further pollution.
The NGT also directed TSPCB to take action against the units that do not remit the environmental compensation, by initiating the proceedings for recovery of the same through District Collector by invoking Revenue Recovery Act, 1890. It further directed that the Environmental Compensation recovered from the polluting units must be utilized by TSPCB for the purpose of protecting the environment in that region, by preparing an action plan in coordination with the District Collector.
Ends/
References:
1) Find the judgment copy of this NGT petition here.
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