Punishing the polluter

2 September 2012

 biswabrata goswami
TAMLUK, 2 SEPT: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (PCB) has slapped a fine of Rs 20 lakh on the Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant (KTPP) for flouting its instructions on environment norms and threatened it with legal action if it continues to do so.
The order, issued by Mr Chandan Ghosh, a senior environment engineer of PCB, stated: “The KTPP has violated environmental norms and needs to be dealt according to law. Restoration of the area’s environment is of prime importance.”
After a preliminary survey of the plant and its surrounding areas in April this year, a PCB team had instructed the KTPP to bring down the emission level of two of its six 210-MW units which was five times the permissible limit.
Furthermore, The KTPP continued running its plant for the past one year without the permission of the PCB, the PCB report read.
Cracking the whip on the KTPP for causing environmental problems in the locality, the PCB has also asked it to plant at least 5000 saplings in its plant area within this monsoon time. This apart, the PCB has asked the KTPP authority to submit a report on a necessary action plan needed to reduce the pollution from its boilers and Electro Static Precipitators (ESP) machines.
Besides, the PCB has instructed that KTPP should ensure compliance to a particulate emission standard within the one-month period through modifying and revamping its Electro-Static Precipitator (ESP).
The PCB has forfeited the bank guarantee, amounting to Rs 10 lakh out of Rs 20 lakh that the KTPP deposited with the PCB. The order also asked KTPP authorities to deposit Rs 10 lakh as a ‘phase guarantee’ within 15 days from the date of issue of the order. This amount will be valid for the next 12 months, the order reads.
The stricture to KTPP comes in the wake of prolonged movement by the Krishak Sangram Parishad, a Suci-backed organisation, KTPP pollution control committee and Santipur pollution control committee and wide criticisms from environmentalists about the state-owned unit's lack of pollution concern. The dumped ashes, along with smoke belched out of the chimneys, are polluting a 500-sq km area in Midnapore East and Howrah district, endangering the lives of the people in the area.
According to reports, the pollution watchdog had slapped a Rs 1 lakh fine in 2001, Rs 3 lakh in 2003, Rs 10 lakh in 2010 on the KTPP for failing to ensure emissions below the prescribed level.
The PCB had even forced the KTPP authorities to reactivate the Denan canal at an expense of Rs 72 lakh.