It is the end of the road for plywood manufacturing units that fail to comply with pollution control norms in the State. The units will have to be shut down sooner than later as the Kerala High Court has ordered closure of illegal plywood units at Vengola panchayat in Ernakulam.
The order was issued last month on a petition filed by T.K. Kurien, a resident of Vengola, in 2007. The judgment could have far-reaching consequences for the plywood industry which has been thriving despite complaints of pollution.
While Perumbavoor is the hub of plywood industry, there are many units spread across the State and a host of cases seeking action against erring units could come up from various districts in the coming days. Many of the units have been functioning with scant regard to norms, thanks to lax regulative measures.
The petitioner had sought closure of the units which had been polluting air, water, and land. The case had gone to the Supreme Court which asked the High Court to take it up. A central empowered committee comprising experts, including environmentalists, was deputed to study the issue.
The committee, headed by P.V.Jayakrishnan, submitted its report two years ago.
According to the report on the status of plywood units in Vengola panchayat, the majority were functioning without the mandatory permits. The committee found that 277 units were functioning in Vengola panchayat with an area of 36.05 sq. km. and a population of 36,116.
Conversion of land
Only one unit had sought permission for conversion of agricultural land. The permission is necessary as the panchayat is not an industrial area. It would mean that all except one unit had violated the Kerala Land Utilisation Order, 1967.
The panel also found that 180 units had no permit from the Fire and Safety Department; 179 had no consent from the Kerala Pollution Control Board; 172 had not received no-objection certificate from the District Medical Officer; 132 had not received licences from panchayat; and 121 had not registered under Indian Boilers Act.
Water pollution
“During the site visit, it was observed that the formaldehyde residue/ waste generated by many plywood units was being drained through a small outlet into a water channel,” the CEC report said. The presence of formaldehyde even in traces is toxic to human health and its long-term impact could be deleterious, it said.
The Central Pollution Control Board had observed that emissions from plywood units would impact the immediate surroundings and become ominous when there is a cluster of units in close proximity to each other.
The High Court took note of the report and asked the government to take measures to close down all unauthorised units. A status report has also been sought by the court.
