Discharge of Waste in the Open: ED to Attach Assets of Errant Telangana Firms
According to sources, as per PCB norms, the companies must set up effluent treatment plants inside the premises.
Hyderabad: Promoters of different entities, especially those into pharma, meat exports and other industries, should think twice before dumping or discharging waste material at open places in utter violation of Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) guidelines.
The local authorities may be imposing a penalty for the offence, but now the Enforcement Directorate-Hyderabad (ED) is going a step further against the defaulters — the agency will attach assets of such errant companies in Telangana treating them as PMLA cases given the health risks they are posing.
According to sources, as per PCB norms, the companies must set up effluent treatment plants inside the premises.
However, a number of companies ignore this mandated aspect in order to save on expenditure. They disposing of the waste material in open places causing hazardous issues.
The PCB registers cases under violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 1987.
Now the Hyderabad ED officials have taken up the issue and are penalising companies that have not installed treatment plants. Their contention is that they money that the companies have not used to set up the treatment of crimes, and is hence liable for action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Cleaning up: Polluter pays
ED attached FDs worth Rs 6.3 lakh belonging to Som Phyto Pharma (India) Ltd, stating that the firm had profited by not installing mandatory pollution control measures. The attachment was done under the PMLA.
ED filed a chargesheet against Sree Venkateswara Industries and its partners for disposing hazardous waste material without proper treatment in violation of the prescribed rules and regulation. They generated proceeds of crime amounting to `90 lakh.
ED attached FDs of Rs 61 lakh in the name of Al Kabeer Exports Private Limited under PMLA. Al Kabeer Exports Private Limited was engaged in processing of frozen buffalo meat in Sangareddy.