HYDERABAD: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recently directed three cement manufacturing units in TS to shut down their operations and issued show-cause notices to 11 others, seeking replies as to why they should not be shut down for non-compliance with pollution control norms. The units that were issued closure notices belong to Kakatiya Cements in Nalgonda, Mancherial Cements in Mancherial and the public-sector Cement Corporation of India at Tandur.
The crackdown by CPCB on non-compliant cement units was not limited to just Telangana. Around 240 cement factories across the country have been sent either closure or show-cause notices.
Cement industry falls under the 17 categories of highly-polluting industries as identified by CPCB.
Apart from cement companies, some distilleries, tanneries and thermal power plants, which also come under 17 categorised industries, were issued closure or show-cause notices. In TS, NSL Krishnaveni Sugars (distellery) at Wanaparthy has been told to shut down.
The present crackdown comes after serving of several notices to polluting units across the country, asking them to install online pollution monitoring systems which are to be connected to the CPCB as well as State Pollution Control Board servers to ensure real-time monitoring of pollution emission of industries. Cement units were sent show-cause notices also for not taking steps as stipulated by CPCB for reducing the pollution emissions to new standards. Even after two years, many factories in the country are yet to install the online pollution monitoring systems.
Cement units in TS issued ‘show-cause’
Deccan Cements, Nalgonda Keerthi Industries, Nalgonda Zuari Cements, Nalgonda Bheema Cements, Nalgonda NCL Industries (cements division), Nalgonda Cement Corp of India, Adilabad India Cements Limited, Tandur Amareshwari Cements, Nalgonda Grey Gold Cements, Nalgonda Viswam Cements, Nalgonda Kamakshi Cements, Nalgonda