PPCB, PSPCL at loggerheads
Rajeev Bhaskar
JULLANDER
LACK OF HARMONY Pollution board charges Powercom with ignoring directions to disconnect electricity of industrial units
Following the administration's recent stance against industrial effluents flowing into the Kala Sanghian drain, communication gap between Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has come to the fore. PPCB recently shot off a letter to PSPCL complaining non-compliance of its recommendation of electricity disconnection of some industrial units that had been made several years ago.

In a fresh official letter to PSPCL (copy of which is with HT), PPCB stated, “It is intimated that the board has issued directions under sections 33-A of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, for disconnection of electricity connection of someindustries.
But, till date, PSPCL has not disconnected the connections and has not submitted the copy of compliance of the direction.“

The list of names of 19 industrial units attached with the letter reveals that although the recommendations were made way back in 2006, some of them were still operating.

When contacted, executive engineer of PPCB Harbir Singh said, “In case we find any industrial units responsible for spreading pollution, we recommend disconnection of their electric connections to the electricity department, but the latter never send the compliance report, causing confusion about whether the order has been executed or not.“

“Although the recommendation for electricity disconnection of some industries was made long ago but many such units are still in operation in the absence of compliance of the recommendation by PSPCL,“ Harbir alleged while talking to HT.
Barring some of the industrial units, which closed down on their own, PSPCL did not take any action to disconnect the electricity connection, he added.

Interestingly, except the industrial units whose recommendation was made last month, all other recommendations were made between 2006 and 2010.

Action against two industrial units was recommended only after the recent stance of the administration against pollution after March 18, when volunteers of environmentalist Baba Balbir Seechewal forcibly blocked the flow of the Kala Sanghian drain.

When contacted, deputy chief engineer of PSPCL NK Gandhi claimed that after getting recommendation of PPCB, instructions are issued to the entire staff down the line for compliance and accordingly the needful is done.

On a query regarding PSPCL sending a compliance report in routine to the PPCB on disconnection of electricity connection of industries, Gandhi, after verifying reports from his juniors, said, “Yes, we always send a compliance report to the PPCB and after disconnection, the SDO concerned prepares a report to be sent to the concerned department.“

When pointed out that electricity disconnection of several industrial units listed in the PPCB list was not made even after so many years, Gandhi said, “Let me check it up with the concerned official as sometimes some legal issues are involved and the concerned industrial units are equipped with the court's stay order.“