PUNE: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued closure notices to seven ready-mix concrete plants and legal notices or proposed directions to eight more for violation of air pollution and other norms.
The drive is being carried out across the district since the first week of March. Some areas where the plants have been closed are Tathawade, Nande and Marunji. While 6 plants have been closed in Marunji, closure notice has been sent to one plant in Nande village. Proposed directions or legal notices asking for cause of violations have been sent to 7 plants in Marunji and one in Hinjewadi.
The action comes after the board received multiple complaints from residents living in the vicinity of these plants regarding deterioration in air quality, leading to breathing difficulties.
According to officials from the board, the plants violated multiple norms, mainly regarding barricading of minimum 5ft to maximum 20 ft above free fall air emission area, with appropriate material as well as absence of water sprinkling or chemical dust stabilising agent inside the premises of ready-mix concrete plants.
VV Killedar, sub-regional officer, MPCB, said, “The drive is ongoing, and we have looked at all aspects of violations, including conveyor belts, carrying concrete, emitting dust at some plants. The survey was carried out by three teams in several areas of the district.”
“We will ensure that these plants do not operate without meeting the required conditions. We have given them a period of seven days to respond. Many residents have complained to us repeatedly about the worsening air quality in areas where these plants are situated,” said Ravi Andhale, regional officer, MPCB.
“Eight plants have been issued proposed directions,” said Andhale.
Recently, the board had issued closure notices to four stone crushing units, show cause notices to six units, and proposed directions to eight units.
