Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Lakshman has said the authority will take immediate steps to inspect the Adugodi facility of Bosch that has been temporarily shut down.
He said the unit’s operations would be cleared if it is not found to be erring on effluents. The KSPCB has formed a joint inspection team that will have a senior environmental officer from the KSPCB, an environmental officer from the Central Pollution Control Board and the KSPCB regional officer.
Bosch has closed the unit following a public notice to all units in the lake catchment area. Individual directions will be sent to units, but no such direction has been sent to Bosch as yet.
There are 488 industries in the catchment area to which the public notice applies. However, Mr. Lakshman clarified that not all the 488 industries are expected to close down.
“Only those that are letting their effluents into a waterbody should shut operations immediately. We do not have a clear number on such industries. Other firms such as Honeywell and Infosys have sought a clarification from the board. We have asked them to continue if no effluents are being let into a waterbody,” he said, adding that the board has not been informed by Bosch or anyone else of temporary shutdown of operations.
Bosch, which has made a regulatory filing of temporary closure of its Adugodi plant to the Bombay Stock Exchange, said it expects an approximate loss in turnover of ₹393 lakh a day in case supply to customers is affected. The company, however, did not divulge details of the number of employees who would be affected. In its statement, Bosch also said it was reviewing the KSPCB direction and would consider all options for suitable relief in order to recommence operations at the Adugodi plant at the earliest.
