No green nod: TNPCB imposes Rs 5.10 crore penalty on Aavin
The measure follows an inspection conducted by TNPCB at the Ambattur dairy.
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CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has imposed a whopping Rs 5.10 crore penalty on Aavin for increasing the milk processing capacity of its Ambattur dairy without getting requisite approvals from the environment watchdog.
The measure follows an inspection conducted by TNPCB at the Ambattur dairy.
Hearing a case filed by Korattur Lake Protecting People's Movement against pollution in the lake, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, had earlier directed the pollution control board to inspect the Aavin facility as the applicant alleged that Aavin and other industries are letting untreated effluents into the lake.
When the case came for hearing again on Wednesday, the TNPCB informed the tribunal that the Aavin dairy increased the processing capacity to 4.5 lakh litres per day from the approved 3 lakh litres per day without getting consent.
The TNPCB report also highlighted that the Aavin unit does not have sufficient effluent treatment capacity for the increased processing capacity.
However, the counsel for Aavin informed the tribunal that installing effluent treatment plants (ETP) is under way and that 90 per cent of the work is over. Aavin also submitted that the excess processing capacity of the unit was not put into use.
Meanwhile, government advocate D Shanmuganathan expressed displeasure over the higher penalty fixed by the TNPCB against Aavin. He explained that Aavin is a government organisation that supplies milk to the public at a subsidised cost. "Also, farmers will be affected if milk is not procured from them," he said.
Observing that Aavin should not pollute the lake even though it supplies milk to the public, the bench directed Aavin to file its report on the progress of the ETPs. The tribunal also directed Aavin to make sure a senior official not below the rank of general manager appears in person during the next hearing on December 16.