NGT imposes penalty against two plastic manufacturing units

CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to levy penalty against two plastic manufacturing units for operating without consent to operate.

In a case against Shiva Sakthi Plastics and Sakthi Plastics in M Pudupalayam near Panruti, the Tribunal observed that one of the units was operating before obtaining the consent to operate.

"If the operation was done by the Project Proponent without consent, the TNPCB should have computed the number of days during which the Project Proponent was carrying on the operations and should have levied the compensation. However, the report is silent about it, " the Tribunal said, referring to a report filed by TNPCB.

The inspection report submitted by TNPCB said that the unit was in operation without obtaining Consent to Operate (CTO) from the TNPCB and the unit had stored the plastic scrap in the middle of the habitation.

TNPCB issued a show cause notice to the unit and collected the water samples and analysed them in the lab. The report revealed that there is no contamination due to the activity. TNPCB has issued consent to operate the unit in April.

"Hence, we direct the TNPCB to levy the compensation for the period in which the unit was in operation without obtaining the Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate by following the due process of law, " bench comprising justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and Satyagopal Korlapati ordered.