CHENNAI : The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued show cause notices and penalised four cement companies in the State, for failing to comply with emission standards. The four companies include Chettinad Cement Corporation plants in Puliyur village in Karur taluk and Rani Meyyammai Nagar in Karikalli village in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation plant in Alangulam, Dalmia Cements plant in Salmiapuram in Lalgudi, and ACC Limited Maddukarai Cement works plant in Coimbatore.
These cement companies have not complied with the notification of new emission standards for particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
ACC Cements and Dalmia Cements have been fined Rs 30,000 per day by CPCB from August 31, 2018, for delay of compliance as per Environment Compensation Policy framed in compliance with the National Green Tribunal.Chettinad Cement Corporation has been asked to pay environmental compensation of `3.6 lakh for noncompliance.
According to CPCB, the Environment ministry notified emission standards for particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in 2014, and later amended it on May 2016 for all cement industries carrying out co-processing of wastes in cement kilns. The timeline to comply with notified emission standards, was extended to March 31, 2017.The cement industries sought reconsideration of notified standards but the Environment ministry said any extension on compliance will be based on due assessment and submission of clear or specific roadmap for compliance with notified standards in a time-bound manner.
The cement industries were told that the new notified emission standards have become effective from April 1, 2017, and were directed to submit time-bound action plan for compliance with new notified standards before April 30, 2017.But many cement industries sought more time to comply with emission standards. As a result, the CPCB gave a deadline of August 31, 2018. However, all the four companies failed to comply by the deadline.
CPCB has exercised its powers under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and has asked ACC and Dalmia Cements as to why the State Pollution Control Board be not directed not to renew consent beyond December 2018 and direct the units not to operate beyond December 31, 2018. The unit has been directed to submit compliance within seven days of receipt of the direction, CPCB sources said.
CPCB said in the Chettinad Cement case, the compliance has been delayed by 12 days. As a result, they have been asked to pay Rs 3.6 lakh for non compliance beyond the time-limit and has been asked to submit compliance report within seven days. In the case of Tamil Nadu Cements, the compliance was delayed by 55 days. As a result, it has been directed to pay compensation of Rs 16.5 lakh.