65 industrial units in Haryana face action for illegal groundwater drawing

PANIPAT: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) instructed the Haryana State Pollution Board (HSPCB) to act against 47 industrial units in Panipat, 13 industrial units in Sonepat and five in Faridabad for drawing groundwater without a no-objection certificate (NOC). The order issued by the CPCB directs the HSPCB to take necessary action against “47 out of 55 units in Panipat, 13 of 34 in Sonepat and five of eight in Faridabad have not even applied for obtaining the NOCfor drawing groundwater, as per the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) report,”under Section 18 (1)(b) of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974. The defaulter units can expect imposition of deterrent environmental compensation within 15 days. The fine would be retroactive from the day when the illegal practice begun.

The CPCB also required the HSPCB to verify the compliance of the Water Act of 1974 in 8 other industrial units of Panipat and Sonepat and 38 units in Faridabad within 15 days.

The NGT in 2018 had constituted joint committees of the CPCB, CGWA (Central Ground Water Authority) the district administrations involved to probe two specific complaints of rampant industrial pollution in the cities of Panipat, Sonepat and Faridabad. The industrial effluents were ultimately contaminating the groundwater in the region.

Following the committee’s direction, the CPCB had asked the HSPCB and the CGWB to file an action taken report (ATR) by April 30. On the basis of the ATR provided by the CGWB and the interim report by the HSPCB, the CPCB has issued directions to the HSPCB for compliance.