Patiala, October 2

Giving momentum to its surprise checking campaign, two teams of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) raided six large industrial units in Dera Bassi. After receiving complaints that industrial units were creating pollution and not adhering to the prescribed pollution norms, the raids were conducted by the Board yesterday. Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Engineer Pardeep Gupta, the PPCB teams, headed by environmental engineers Nazar Singh Manshahia and Rakesh Nayar, raided three industrial units each. During checking, it came to light that M/s M.K. Overseas was complying with the pollution norms of the Board.

The effluent treatment plant and air pollution control devices at the unit were found operational”, said PPCB member secretary Dr. Babu Ram.

Though Board officials did not divulge the name of other industrial units that were raided but Dr Ram stated that sample of the other five industrial units have been collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis. “In case the sample report goes against the pollution norms of the Board, we will not only make the names of these units public but would also initiate action against the erring industries”, he said, while appealing to the industrialists of Punjab to cooperate with the PPCB and adhere to all the pollution norms. “The industries should understand that it is very important to make the rivers, drains and other water bodies of Punjab pollution free in order to build a green, healthy and nature-friendly Punjab for future generations. Hence, all the industrial units of Punjab must comply with the guidelines laid by the PPCB with respect to various types of pollution”, he added.