PCB serves notices on erring units in Edayar industrial area in Kochi

Sixty-five units in the region yet to seek consent to operate from the board

The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has asked as many as 65 units in the Edayar industrial region to seek consent to operate or face action, including closure in accordance with various environmental laws.

The move comes as a follow-up of an assessment which revealed that several small- and medium-scale industrial units in the region were functioning without the mandatory consent to operate or approval of the board. The Hindu had reported on March 12 that some of these units had been functioning for over 10 years without applying for consent to operate from the PCB.

A.B. Pradeep Kumar, PCB Chairman, said necessary guidelines had been issued to the regional office in Ernakulam to ensure that the erring units apply for consent to operate.

According to official estimates, 54 units were found functioning without the mandatory consent based on a survey by the Environment Surveillance Centre of the PCB at Eloor. As many as 19 units had applied for consent, while the validity of the consent granted for 11 units had expired.

M.A. Baiju, Chief Environmental Engineer at the regional office of the PCB, said notices had been served on erring units. They will be given time as per rules to submit applications. A time-bound action plan is being worked out to ensure that all units seek consent to operate, he added.

The board had also sought the cooperation of the District Industries Centre to make all units obtain the mandatory approval under the Environment Act. The lack of authorisation had often helped the units evade legal action following violation of guidelines, including pollution of the nearby Periyar. The State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management had also taken serious note of lapses in the operation of industrial units in Edayar.