POLLUTION BY CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES IN GAJRAULA AREA

POLLUTION BY CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES IN GAJRAULA AREA: Writ Petition (Civil) No.418/1998 ( Imtiaz Ahmad Vs UOI & Ors.) – Pollution by Chemical Industries in Gajraula area

The Petition was filed in 1998 regarding pollution caused by several industries, a distillery, two single super phosphate industries, a silica washing industry, a tyre & tube manufacturing unit etc. located in the Gajraula (Jyotiba Phule Nagar) District, U.P. It was alleged that those industries were discharging untreated effluent and letting out emission beyond the prescribed limit as a result of which the health of the people and agricultural crops in the region severally got affected. The discharge from the industries carrying industrial and chemical waste entered in the Bagad nullah which ultimately pollutes the river Ganga. The Hon’ble court issued various directions to control the pollution in the area and the Central Pollution Control Board submitted inspection reports in compliance of the Hon’ble Court orders.

The Central Board submitted its inspection report on 20.3.2001 after conducting inspection of M/s Insilco. In compliance of Hon’ble Court’s order dated 31.10.2001, the Central Board submitted comments on the report of the NEERI in respect of the Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR) issue concerning silica washing industry.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court on 28.2.2002 after considering the report of the NEERI and subsequent comments of the Central Board, observed that the concerned industry M/s Insilco had complied with required norms and measures in accordance with the recommendations of the Central Board. Therefore, M/s Insilco was permitted to continue with the industry operating at present premises. The Hon’ble Court referred the recommendations of the Central Board and further directed that the recommendations of the Central Board should be considered as a part of the order of this Court and all industries including M/s Insilco should abide by the said recommendations.

Further, the U.P.State Pollution Control Board was directed to take effective measures for necessary inspections in terms of the recommendations of the Central Board. The U.P. State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) should draw an environmental management plan in accordance with this order and it was further directed that no new large or medium polluting unit should be allowed to establish or the existing units should not be allowed any expansion without the consent of the appropriate Authority of the State of U.P., with these directions the writ petition ordered for ‘disposed off’ accordingly.