GPCB closure notice: VECL fails to get any Gujarat High Court relief

The Vadodara Enviro Channel limited (VECL) failed to get any relief from the Gujarat High court after it moved the judiciary in connection with the closure notice issued by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).

In what is a big blow to the over 300 industries operating in Vadodara the high court in its order clarified that it has not passed an order which would restrain GPCB in any manner from action in accordance with orders passed by the Supreme Court. This means the GPCB can act on the closure notice it has issued to VECL. The VECL which treats the wastewater generated by over 300 units in and around Vadodara had been issued a notice on December 13 by the pollution control body for failing to meet water quality criteria of the wastewater it treats and releases. The GPCB in its notice to VECL had asked it to take corrective steps to meet the water quality parameters failing which it would shut down the unit in 30 days. The 30 days are to end on January 13. It had also written to the Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Ltd (MGVCL) to disconnect power supply to VECL.

The GPCB was forced into action after a Vadodara-based NGO Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti issued a contempt notice to the pollution body apart from the MoEF, the CPCB and the nodal officers appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to implement the Supreme Court order. It should be noted that the Supreme Court had in a February 22, 2017 order had stated that authorities should ensure that all effluent treatment plants are functional and meet requisite standards. It had asked the NGT to oversee the implementation of the order and the NGT had formed a two member committee made up of an officer of MoEF and CPCB. The committee was to see the implementation of the order across the country and report back to NGT. Rohit Prajapati, who first moved the SC with the case, said that the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in the wastewater being disposed of by VECL when measured on January 3 was 1847 mg/litre. "The permissible limit is 250 mg/ litre. Another analysis of a sample on Jan 10 showed COD to be arou-nd 995 mg/ per litre," said Prajapati.