Jajpur: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi has again ordered for a detailed probe into alleged water pollution caused by Brahmani River Pellets Limited (BRPL) at Kalinganagar Industrial Complex in Jajpur district, an official source informed Thursday.
Judicial members of NGT B Amit Sthalekar and Saibal Dasgupta have ordered Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to conduct reinvestigation at a time when the BRPL plant is open. A report is to be submitted within seven days.
It is pertinent to mention here that, a probe was recently conducted by SPCB when BRPL Plant remained close, which had raised many eyebrows.
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According to a source, the SPCB had conducted the probe and submitted its report before the NGT July 1. However, an affidavit filed by SPCB law officer Santosh Kumar Kuanr along with the investigation report allegedly contained inconsistencies, the source stated.
In the B-1 para of the report, it has been cited that the BRPL plant is of 4 metric tonne capacity. It was also mentioned that the plant was lying closed during the probe for plant maintenance purposes.
Notably, the submission has caught the SPCB in the wrong foot as an environmental outfit named Kalinganagar Paribesh Surakshya Samiti, the complainant in the case, has questioned how the SPCB could conduct a probe when the plant was lying closed.
As per rules, the plant authorities should inform the SPCB if they want to shutdown or close operations in the plant for maintenance.
Kalinganagar Paribesh Surakshya Samiti had filed a petition (149/2017/EZ) in the NGT accusing BRPL of discharging wastewater of the plant into Ganda nullah (a natural creek) and polluting the water body. it had sought immediate intervention of NGT in the matter.
Hearing the matter June 15, the NGT had earlier directed the SPCB to conduct a probe and submit its report before July 5. Accordingly, a team of SPCB officials including environmental engineer Hiranya Kumar Nayak and regional officer Pramod Kumar Behera visited the plant premises June 24, which was closed for maintenance.
PNN