As many as 14 industries in Mandi Gobindgarh have been found violating air pollution norms. According to information, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials raided 20 industries in Mandi Gobindgarh yesterday, out of which 14 were found flouting the pollution norms.

Notably, the industrial town of Mandi Gobindgarh is known for its high air pollution levels because of non-compliance of norms by many industrial units. Giving further information, PPCB Member Secretary Dr Babu Ram said 10 teams, headed by Senior Environmental Engineer and Environmental Engineers, raided 20 induction furnaces of Mandi Gobindgarh.

"During the raids, it was found that many furnaces were indulging in serious violations of the air pollution norms. These erring industries include Jassar Multimetals, Bhatia Steel, AK Multimetals, Devgan Alloys, MR Allloys, KL Alloys, Dashmesh Alloys, ANJ Metal Recycling, Talasri Steels and Jogindera Casting,” he informed.

Dr Ram further said four induction furnaces - Kuber Casting, Bansal Alloys, Vishnu Steels and Unipearl Alloys, were found working effectively, while two other induction furnaces, were lying closed at the time of the visit. "Action is being initiated against the violating units and no defaulting unit will be spared, as Board is adopting a zero tolerance policy in this regard", he said. PPCB Deputy Director (PR) Dr Chanranjit Singh has appealed to the industrialists of the state to operate their air and water pollution control devices regularly and help the Board to make the ambient air of the state non-polluted.

As per the PPCB officials, the erring industries were violating the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. "The Air Pollution Control Devices (APCD) installed in the erring industries were not functioning properly and failed to meet the pollution norms prescribed by the Board. In some erring units, the APCD was operational, but there were certain shortcomings in the devices that tantamount to flouting of the pollution norms,” said Dr Charanjit.

He added that besides the 10 violating industrial units, minor violation of air pollution norms were detected in four industrial units.