BHOPAL: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked nine heavy and medium polluting industries to set up a green belt to mitigate environmental impact due to their operations.
On Thursday, applicant Subhash C Pandey submitted before central zone bench of NGT list of nine red and orange category hazardous industries and possible environmental issues that may arise due to their being close to residential colonies.
In a affidavit submitted before the tribunal, Pandey highlighted Bhaskar Industry Pvt Ltd, Procter and Gamble, Lupin and HEG Ltd as red category industries and Crompton Greaves, Amtek Auto, CJ Gelatine, Albert David and Godrej Hershey Foods and Beverages as orange category industries.
Pandey's report claims several localities are barely 50 metres from hazardous industries. Besides, there is absence of any green belt between industries and colonies.
Based on Pandey's affidavit, NGT bench comprising judicial member Justice Dalip Singh and expert member Ranjan Chatterjee directed these nine industries to develop a green belt which can act as a wind breaker along periphery of industry with trees to be specified by authorities of MPPCB in consultation with forest department.
"The green belt to be set up shall be of width of 5 to 10 metres depending on space available with industry. If any of industries have any submission it would be free to approach tribunal by means of application," NGT said.
State government and town and country department (T&CP) were directed to go through Pandey's report of hazardous industries and prepare a site plan identifying location of industry site and polluting industries in surrounding area.
Joint director T&CP, who was present, said looking at ground realty and land use in master plan in Mandideep, they shall prepare a proposal for number of trees to be planted according to land use, for expansion of industries and residential area.
The proposal shall include creation of possible green belt surrounding the area depending on land use as projected in master plan and any further uses mentioned in master plan would also be submitted before the tribunal.
"The state shall also consider freezing number of industries around Mandideep and creation of a new hub taking into consideration all possible issues, including cost of green belt, discharge of effluents and air pollution as well as threat to UNESCO world heritage site at Bhimbetka," NGT said.
NGT also ordered M/S Sonic Biochem to furnish a solvent surety amount of Rs 25 lakh to MPPCB to ensure that installation of bio filtration plant system is done in 12 weeks' time as granted by tribunal. Matter would be heard on July 13.
