BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Friday forced some industries to shut down by cutting off their electricity supply for allegedly polluting Bellandur Lake.
KSPCB chairman Lakshman C said he personally visited 15-20 industries. The move comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) rapped KSPCB and asked why it had only issued closure notices and not ensured that the industries shut down.
Making it clear that the KSPCB means to shut down all 76 defaulting industries, Lakshman said, “We have given directions to BESCOM to cut off electricity supply to the 76 defaulting industries. By Monday, about 90 per cent of these industries would not have electricity.” He added that in case the industries were found to be operating using generators, KSPCB would then seal them.
When asked about Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the government firms that are also among the defaulters as per the KSPCB’s website, Lakshman said a team from the board had visited the offices concerned and checked the working of their STPs. Only then were the two industries exempted, he added.
The KSPCB also plans to take a tough stand against apartments that discharge effluents into the lake. The chairman said directions have been given to officials to inspect 157 apartments and eight criminal cases were registered against owners of defaulting apartments till now. He added that if STPs in apartments were found to be not working, their power supply would be disconnected.
The firms that were shut on Friday following a visit by Lakshman and other KSPCB officials include Concorde Motors and Global Washcare. The chairman said BWSSB too has been asked to stop water supply to the 76 industries.