Shimla/ New Delhi, August 14
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) to shut down all industries operating without obtaining consent from the board in Solan district.

A circuit bench at Shimla headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued a notice to the HPSPCB, Himachal Pradesh and others on a plea filed by Ajay Sipahiya, which alleges that industrial pockets in Solan are causing air and water pollution.

“We direct the Solan Deputy Commissioner and the Member Secretary of the HPSPCB to stop operation of all industries or units which are operating in these areas without obtaining consent from the Board and other appropriate permission from the competent authority," the bench said.

“There is complete failure of environmental protection mechanism in these areas...Issue notice to respondents...,” it said while posting the matter for next hearing on October 16.

The circuit bench also directed the Member Secretary of the HPSPCB, Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board, Chief Engineer of the Public Health, Himachal Pradesh, and Deputy Commissioner, Solan, to conduct personal inspection of these industrial pockets.

The NGT observed that “the petition should awake the authorities, including the state pollution control board, to initiate necessary action”.

The petition alleged that there were 2,063 units in these industrial pockets which were operational and 50 per cent of them do not even have consent of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.