Polluting Goa Carbon plant in Odisha sealed

Reported by Vishwanath Kumar
Paradip, Aug 2:

The Paradip administration today sealed a private carbon manufacturing plant near Paradip following its defiance of the closure notice issued to it by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB).

Earlier, cracking the whip on the industrial unit for flouting pollution norms, the OSPCB had ordered the shutdown of carbon plant, owned by the Goa Carbon Ltd (GCL). However plant authorities chose to ignore the directions and went ahead with their regular operation.

“The plant had faced the charge of causing serious environmental pollution. The OSPCB had asked the plant management to stop operation. But they did not abide by the order. Later, the OSPCB had sought our assistance for implementation of their order. We have locked up the plant in presence of a magistrate in accordance with pollution control law”, said Paradip Additional Magistrate, Rama Krushna Sahu.

The GCL unit was served closure notice on 24 July as it had been found that the plant perpetrated both air and water pollution and adversely affecting the people living on the periphery of the pollutant plant.

The private sector unit was found guilty of contravening the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The company was asked to close down its operations and furnish a compliance report to the OSPCB without delay.

To ensure the implementation of the order, the plant was shut down with assistance from civil and police administration and CESU officials, said OSPCB Paradip regional officer, Prasant Kumar Kar.