GPCB tells units in Ankleswar to install CCTV

Surat: Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has asked all industrial units located in Ankleswar Industrial Estate (AIE) area to install CCTV cameras following suspicion of illegal dumping of untreated waste, residue and solvents in the open.
There are nearly 1,400 industrial units in GPCB cluster of Ankleswar, Panoli and Jagadia. AIE has nearly 800 units.
In last six months, the environment watchdog has seized over 50 tankers with industrial waste and issued closure notices to nearly 50 units for violation of environment laws. Ankleswar was declared critically polluted area in 2007 and a moratorium was imposed on expansion of old units and setting of new units. The moratorium still continues.
GPCB has informed nearly 40 units in AIE making inorganic salts to install CCTV cameras in their units at the earliest. It has also asked the factories to keep recording of at least 15 days and provide it to the agency as and when required.
A source in GPCB informed TOI that these instructions were issued from Gandhinagar head office following order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
A V Shah, former GPCB officer at Ankleswar, said, "We had factories to install cameras as it was a norm now." He also said that CCTV cameras have already been installed on creeks and roads of AIE.
"The footage from these cameras are used by many agencies like police and GPCB officials," he said.
However, the industry association has claimed that illegal dumping was being done from outside in their estate.
Chandresh Devani, President of AIE said, "There have been large number of closure notices issued in last six months. We believe that some people are dumping waste in our estate."
"Majority of our units are following the orders of GPCB," he added.