NGT Constitutes Committee To Visit Site On A Plea Alleging Violation Of Air Pollution Act By Birla Carbon India In UP City

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi has constituted a committee on a plea filed against Birla Carbon India Private Limited alleging violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 in Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh.

The Bench of Acting Chairperson Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel said, “A substantial issue of environment has been raised. In view of the facts narrated above we constitute a committee consisting of Collector, Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh and One representative from State Pollution Control Board. The Committee is directed to visit the site and submit a factual and action taken report within four weeks by e-mail at judicialngt@gov.in preferably in the form of searchable PDF/OCR Support PDF and not in the form of Image PDF. The Report should clearly provide compliance status with respect to CTO granted on 30.01.2019 and with respect to additional manufacturing processes.”

The Bench noted that the said report shall further provide ambient air quality data around the industry and trends of ambient air quality as per the established National Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP) station, if operated.

The grievance in the application filed before the NGT was the violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 by the respondent/violator named Birla Carbon Renukoot. It was contended that the unit was running without any consent from UPPCB and the unit did not take consent for 6 Reactor, Vent Scrubber Stacks, and 2 Main Bag Filter Stacks.

The unit did not disclose the height of 6 Reactor Vent Scrubbers Stacks and 2 Main Bag Filter Stacks for consent. The Reactor, Vent Scrubber, and Main Bag Filter Stack were used during plant shutdown and also contained un-burnt carbon monoxide which was a byproduct of such a plant.

The Tribunal in view of the aforesaid facts observed, “A complaint was filed before the Authorities Concerned/Pollution Control Board but no action has been taken by the Authorities Concerned.”

The NGT, therefore, directed the Registry to send a copy of the order and a copy of the application to the Collector, Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh, and State Pollution Control Board for taking action and submitting the report.

Accordingly, the Tribunal listed the matter on October 31, 2023.

Cause Title- Pankaj Srivastava v. Birla Carbon India Private Limited

Click here to read/download the Order