A distillery in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh has been directed to pay environmental compensation of Rs. one crore for generating substantial quantity of effluent and discharging it into a drain which meets river Kali.
The environmental compensation will be paid to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).
“The industry shall pay an environmental compensation of Rs. one crore to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Only on payment of the compensation, UPPCB shall permit the industry to re-start its operation. The amount so paid shall be used only for improvement of the environment of the area in question,” the NGT said in a judgement passed on petition filed against the unit by one Krishna Kant Singh.
The sugarcane molasses based distilleries are among the most polluting industries. Their effluent requires several stages of treatment and dilution before safe disposal.
Discharge of distillery effluent into surface water leads to depletion of oxygen. The effluent also contains nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous.
In the instant case, the Daurala-based distillery unit was found to have polluted land and water for many years by releasing untreated effluent and using the same for ferti-irrigation too, though the same was suspended some time ago.
“It is also clear that the industry was operating in violation of the conditions of consent as it was polluting the land and the environment by discharging the untreated effluent on the land and by using if for ferti-irrigation. Using the untreated effluent of the distillery unit is definitely harmful to the land,” the NGT noted.
“It is also clear that the industry was using water from tube wells and no permission was taken from the Central Ground Authority. There is no doubt that the industry is a seriously polluting industry. As it is proved that the industry was causing serious pollution for all these years, it is absolutely necessary to impose an environmental compensation on the industry,” the Tribunal said before fixing the quantum at Rs. one crore.
The unit under question is involved in the production of rectified spirit, extra neutral alcohol and anhydrous alcohol.
The total installation production capacity of the unit is 150 KLD. Consent was granted only for production of 80 KLD.
The NGT also directed that the industry be permitted to operate only on installation of Multi Evaporator (MEE) and restrict the production capacity of the industry to 38 KLD till the installation and commissioning of MEE.
The sugarcane molasses based distilleries are among the most polluting industries. Their effluent requires several stages of treatment and dilution before safe disposal. The Daurala-based distillery unit was found to have polluted land and water for many years by releasing untreated effluent and using the same for ferti-irrigation too
