After WCL, ACC Cement in the dock for polluting Wardha river

NAGPUR: After Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), ACC Limited’s cement plant has been found polluting Vidarbha’s second biggest river Wardha near Ghugus in Chandrapur district, which is infamous for being the fourth most polluted area in the nation. A high-level committee of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued directives to initiate action against ACC Limited. Also, action has been directed against Murli Industries’ cement plant at Chandrapur, Butibori-based Morarjee Textiles and Umrer-based ERA Buildsys Limited.
The MPCB’s consent appraisal committee (CAC) has taken the decision to initiate action against the four industries in a meeting held on December 20.
According to the CAC’s minutes of the meeting, show cause notice to initiate legal action against the ACC plant will be issued by the MPCB Chandrapur Regional Office. “Board officials had visited the plant on June 18 and again on September 10, 2014. Unit was discharging black effluent outside the factory premises. Fugitive dust emissions were observed in and around the factory premises. Leakages were observed in old cement mill and clinker silo, resulting in heavy fugitive emission. Sewage treatment plant was not in operation. Water flow meter was not installed at inlet and outlet of sewage treatment plant. GI sheets of the conveyer belt were damaged at some locations. Housekeeping was observed very poor near coal and raw material stock yard and old cement mill,” the committee said.
Activist from Ghugus Ibadul Siddiqui told TOI, ACC cement plant was discharging large quantity of black effluent outside the factory premises for last many years. “Effluent is flowing into Wardha river situated near Nakoda. Norms say the plant should ensure zero discharge outside factory premises. But ACC plant and WCL mines are not following the norm and polluting the river, which is a lifeline for the district,” he said.
Siddiqui added that white dust can be seen across Nakoda due to the ACC plant.
Nand Kumar, vice president of corporate communications for ACC Limited, said, “We have not received any such notice and are hence unable to offer any comment in the matter.”
TOI had highlighted similar black water discharged into Wardha river from two WCL coal mines at Ghugus. Siddiqui had lodged a complaint with the collector office and MPCB, Chandrapur, but no action taken.
The CAC has also decided to issue show cause notice to initiate legal action against Murli Industries for pollution. “Power plant ash was dumped at various places in factory premises. Huge quantity of dust emission spread from the top of clinker section and spread in nearby area. Water spraying is not provided to raw coal storage yard and ash handling area. Proper dust collection system at cement and ball mill units too was not provided,” the committee observed.
MPCB Chandrapur regional officer AN Harshwardhan told TOI that ACC’s old plant was causing pollution but the company has started to take corrective steps. “We have proposed action and sent it to CAC. We are yet to issue show cause notice to the two companies as we have not received the minutes,” he said.
The CAC has also decided to issue show cause notice to initiate legal action against Morarjee Textile for causing pollution and non-compliance of consent conditions. The CAC has decided to issue show cause notice to ERA Buildsys Limited for operating an industry without valid consent from the board and not submitting bank guarantee.