DC Impact: ICS True Integral Concrete office in Hyderabad sealed

Hyderabad: The Ranga Reddy district officials on Thursday seized the makeshift office and machinery belonging to ICS True Integral Concrete Pvt Limited which had been illegally operating a ready mix concrete (RMC) plant in Gachibowli.

Deccan Chronicle had carried are report in these columns, ‘PCB lets concrete unit ignore notice’ in these columns on Wednesday, highlighting the Pollution Control Board washing off its hands after issuing a closure notice to the RMC plant in July this year without bothering to ensure that it shut down.

Taking note of the violation, Ranga Reddy collector Amoy Kumar directed the officials concerned to inquire and take necessary action. Meanwhile, PCB environmental engineer M. Venkat Narsu wrote to the Serilingampally tahasildar, requesting him to seize the plant and machinery including the generator set under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the interest of public health and environment.

The PCB engineer said a team had inspected the plant following the report published in Deccan Chronicle and found that the unit was in operation. Acting immediately on the letter from the PCB, revenue officials reached the plant and seized the plant and machinery.

The PCB has to now act against ICS True Integral Concrete Pvt Limited for operating the unit even after being served the closure notice and disconnecting the power supply. As the unit was found in operation with the help of a diesel generator, the action against ICS True Integral Concrete should have to be more stringent as per environmental laws.