The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has ordered closure of India Cements Limited factory at Yerraguntla and initiated action against four more cement factories in Kadapa district, for non-compliance of the Board directions and standards and causing severe air pollution in surrounding areas.
APPCB Member-Secretary Janaki Kondepi issued closure orders (vide Order No. 16/TPT/PCB/TF-KNL/2012-307), as per Section 31 (A) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 1987, in the interest of protecting public health and environment, in accordance with a decision taken at a hearing conducted by APPCB on August 5. The electricity authorities were directed to disconnect power supply to ICL factory.
The factory closure was ordered due to non-upgradation of ESPs to control flue gas emissions and to meet the Board’s emission standards, storing limestone in an open area on the premises causing dust emissions to road users, accumulation of solid waste, i.e. raw meal and clinker lumps all over the factory surroundings without proper recycling or landfill, inadequate water sprinkling systems, the order said.
On receiving a series of complaints from Rayalaseema Rashtra Samiti president Kuncham Venkatasubba Reddy and others that cement factories were causing environmental pollution, the APPCB inspection and monitoring team, Task Force Committee and Board officials inspected the five cement factories in Kadapa district.
Kadapa district has five cement factories – India Cements Ltd. Factories at Yerraguntla and Chilamakur in Yerraguntla mandal, Zuari Cements at Yerraguntla, Bharti Cements at Kamalapuram and Dalmia Cements at Mylavaram, in view of vast limestone reserves in Kamalapuram and Jammalamadugu constituencies.
The Pollution Control Board directed Bharti Cements at Nallalingayapalli in Kamalapuram to furnish bank guarantee for Rs. 1.40 crore within a week and provide automatic water sprinkling system along the roads to minimise dust emission within a month. It issued warnings to Zuari Cements Ltd. at Yerraguntla and Dalmia Cements factory at Mylavaram.
APPCB ordered Zuari Cements Ltd. to forfeit Rs. 10 lakhs from a bank guarantee of Rs. 1 crore.
