TGPCB Imposes ₹1 Lakh Penalty On Sweet Units For Plastic Violations
The Telangana Pollution Control Board has imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh each on three sweet manufacturing units for violations involving prohibited single-use plastics and other environmental norms.
Hyderabad: The Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) has initiated action against three sweet manufacturing units for allegedly operating without mandatory environmental clearances, discharging untreated wastewater into public sewers and using prohibited single-use plastics.
The Board has also imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh per unit for violations of plastic waste management rules.
The action followed inspections of seven sweet manufacturing units by TGPCB Rolling Task Force teams after complaints from the public.
The teams found violations relating to consent requirements, wastewater treatment and the use of prohibited plastics.
This reporter approached officers for the names of the sweet units but they said the notices were yet to be served.
Representatives of all seven units were summoned for hearings before task force committees at the PCB’s Hyderabad and RC Puram zonal offices on November 5.
During the review, officials found that four units had obtained consent for operation (CFO), while the remaining three were operating without the required consent.
The three units were also found to be operating without effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and discharging untreated wastewater into public sewers.
Officials also reported violations of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021, including the use of plastic films to wrap sweet boxes and other prohibited single-use plastic items.
The committees recommended that the three units be directed to apply for CFO immediately and submit undertakings to this effect.
They were also asked to collect and transport their wastewater to a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for treatment.