Lok Sabha Question No. 24 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Closing of Industries near Lakes
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: HUKUM SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION N0.24

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2017

## Closing of Industries near Lakes

## *24 SHRI HUKUM SINGH:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued any orders/directions for closing of industries near lakes in the country;
- (b) if so, the details and present status thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the NGT appointed Panel has asked the Government to seal units violating its orders/directions and laid down penalty for dumping waste; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

## Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 24 due for reply on 18.07.2017 regarding Closing of Industries near Lakes by SHRI HUKUM SINGH

(a) to (d): Yes, Sir. The Hon'ble National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi in its order dated 19 th April, 2017 vide Original Application No. 217 of  2017 and 125/2017 (MA No. 440/2017) has issued various directions to initiate action in order to protect the 'Bellandur Lake'  in  Bangalore  from  pollution  and  directed  Karnataka  State  Pollution  Control  Board (KSPCB) to take further action.

The  Officers  of  KSPCB  have  inspected  97  industries,  which  are  significant  from  water pollution control point of view in the Bellandur catchment area and submitted a report. Based on  the  report,  Board  has  issued  closure  orders  to  76  industries.  The  remaining  13  industries have provided facilities for treating the effluents, there is no discharge directly / indirectly to the lake from these industries and 8 industries have closed on their own.

All the 76 industries which have been served with the notice of closure have been closed. This has  been  confirmed  by  the  inspection  of  the  Officers  of  Central  Pollution  Control  Board (CPCB) and KSPCB. Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) authorities have also submitted letters of power disconnection to the above industries.

Out of the above 76 industries, 6 industries have approached Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka and obtained stay and also taken steps for stoppage of discharges directly / indirectly into the lake. Accordingly, the revocation orders have been issued to 04 industries. The remaining 02 industries, cases are pending before the Hon'ble high court of Karnataka.

The KSPCB has also issued Closure Directions to 2 automobile service stations of M/s. Sireesh Auto  Private  Limited.  One  is  located  at  Basapura  Village  and  the  other  one  is  located  at Roopena Agrahara Village which is also located in Bellandur lake catchment area, but was left out in 97 effluent generating industries' list.

Apart from the above, it was found that, there were 38 small scale industries operating illegally. Closure  orders  were  issued  by  the  KSPCB  to  these  industries.  In  total,  KSPCB  has  issued closure orders to 116 industries as detailed above.

Further,  in  accordance  with  the  directions  of  NGT,  the  joint  inspections  by  the  officers  of CPCB  and  KSPCB  were  conducted  and  the  Board  has  issued  revocation  orders  for  46 industries  who  have  adopted  proper  pollution  control  measures  and  not  discharging  any effluent directly or indirectly into the lake

As per the direction issued by the Hon'ble NGT vide its direction dated 19 th April, 2017, the following action has been taken to avoid dumping of Construction and Demolition waste in the vicinity of the Bellandur lake situated in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) area of Bengaluru.

-  5 CC Cameras have been installed around the lake and duly monitored through CCTV by ward level officers of BBMP;
-  Security guards have been deputed to sensitive and vulnerable areas  to avoid dumping of waste;
-  Sufficient lighting is provided on roads starting from Yamlur channel to Bellandur channel;
-  Action has been taken to clear the channels in the downstream of the lake;
-  The  photography  of  lake  area  has  been  taken  through  drone  and  it  is  found  that  no noticeable MSW or C&D waste is seen in the area or in the Buffer Zone;
-  The team of officers led by Joint Commissioner (Mahadevapura) are going for night rounds in BBMP Prahari vehicle to monitor if any unauthorized vehicles are dumping any kinds of waste;
-  Notices /posters have been put up in prominent places around the lake with an instruction to the defaulters regarding imposing  fine of Rs 5.00 Lakhs per  instance for  littering in and around the lake;
-  Action has been taken to levy fine Rs 5 Lakh on the garbage contractor for dumping waste in  the  downstream  of the Bellandur lake and the concerned Health Inspector is also kept under suspension due to negligence of duty; and
-  Those who are found to pollute the lakes will be liable for criminal prosecution besides a penalty of Rs. 5.00 lakh per event'.

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