NGT panel appointed after air pollution complaint finds glaring lapses at ACC cement plant in Himachal Pradesh

On Monday, the tribunal fixed the adjacent proceeding connected February 25.

The tribunal was informed that successful April 2022, the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB) imposed a hefty biology compensation of Rs 1.29 crore connected the ACC cement works for 2 large violations—an aerial prime standards breach (Rs 1.10 crore) betwixt January 2021 and December 2021, and untreated h2o discharge (Rs 19.50 lakh) from February to April 2022.

The committee besides reported that astatine slightest 7 complaints had been lodged against the cement works by section residents implicit the past 3 years.

The committee, besides comprising idiosyncratic Dr Narender Sharma from the Central Pollution Control Board, and HPPCB Regional Officer Pawan Sharma, visited the cement works connected January 18. It was formed pursuing a ailment lodged successful September 2024 by Kashmir Thakur, a nonmigratory of Khetad colony adjacent Barmana who alleged terrible aerial contamination caused by the plant’s operations.

The tribunal was informed that the cement works had been unopen down for yearly attraction from January 3 to February 8, 2025. When the committee visited the works connected January 18, lone 1 kiln was operating, that excessively astatine 40 per cent capacity. Acknowledging the request for a much thorough probe nether full-capacity operations, the committee requested an further 8 weeks to taxable its last report.

In its report, the committee stated, “The works was directed to instrumentality measures to power accidental discharge of pollutants, particularly particulate emissions during grid failures. However, the works had yet to instrumentality these measures. Dust emissions were observed successful areas astir the clinker, ash, and cement silos, causing distress to adjacent residents.

“The consent to run mandated the works to found a three-layer histrion plantation on its bound to mitigate aerial and sound pollution, but this captious measurement remained unfulfilled. Furthermore, portion the works had installed a motortruck tyre washing strategy astatine the earthy worldly exit, determination was nary mechanics to region lipid and grease from the recycled wastewater. Additionally, the works was inactive successful the process of installing a tyre-washing strategy astatine the cement exit constituent to forestall particulate from being carried extracurricular the premises.”

In December 2024, the tribunal directed the committee to reappraisal the presumption of its earlier judgment—issued successful December 2015—wherein an biology compensation of Rs 50 lakh had been imposed connected the ACC cement plant. The committee stated that it was successful the process of examining documents submitted by the works regarding this issue.

In his complaint, Kashmir Thakur alleged that ACC Limited has been manufacturing cement for respective years, but the plant’s particulate separation strategy was either improperly functioning oregon inadequately installed. As a result, flying particulate generated during cement accumulation has been accumulating connected pathways, roads, and residential areas, importantly affecting adjacent residents. He further said the works has failed to efficaciously negociate and power fugitive (unintentional) emissions.

Complainant suspicious

When contacted, Thakur raised doubts arsenic to however the works could beryllium unopen for attraction days earlier the inspection of the associated committee. He said, “We judge that authorities are simply buying time. We privation the inspection of the cement works by autarkic experts. We volition rise our request during the adjacent day of proceeding connected February 25.”

Cement manufacturing astatine the ACC Limited works involves grinding and blending earthy materials containing calcium oxide (such arsenic limestone) with a siliceous worldly (such arsenic clay, shale, and sand) on with definite additive oregon corrective materials (such arsenic alumina and robust ore) and past burning the substance astatine precocious temperatures successful a kiln.

The resulting ‘clinker’ is cooled and past crushed with gypsum to nutrient the finished product, mean portland cement, oregon with pozzolanic worldly similar alert ash to nutrient blended cement. The large earthy materials utilized successful the manufacture of cement are limestone, gypsum, and alert ash, portion ember is utilized arsenic substance successful the kilns.

The large earthy materials utilized successful the manufacture of cement are limestone, gypsum, alert ash, and coal, which is utilized arsenic substance successful the kilns. The limestone for the existing works is obtained from a captive limestone excavation located astir 4.0 km (by road) from the cement plant. The crushed limestone from the excavation is transported done a land-enclosed loop conveyor to the cement plant. The earthy worldly is processed successful a cement kiln to marque the clinker. The kiln is fitted with a suspension preheater strategy to reuse the vigor from the flue gases.

The portion operates connected a adust process and besides uses discarded vigor from the cement kilns to adust the earthy material. The remaining discarded heat, if any, is utilized to make powerfulness by deploying a discarded vigor betterment system. Gypsum and alert ash are crushed successful the cement mill successful required proportions to nutrient cement. The cement frankincense produced is stored successful silos and sent to the packing plant, wherever it is packed done packing machines and dispatched.