Zinc, nickel plating units will not need SAC nod: PPCB chief

Although the written orders are yet to come, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Chairman Ravinder Singh has announced the electroplating units doing nickel and zinc plating and having machinery cost upto Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh respectively now need not get clearance from the Site Appraisal Committee (SAC) of the PPCB for any load extension in the unit or any other change in the factory design. The chairman was in the city in connection with an industrial interaction.

As of now, the units are facing huge problems as for making even a minor change in the factory, they have to apply to the SAC of PPCB, which further directs them to seek an NOC from Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation(PSIEC).

Upkar Singh, general secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) said," We are not even able to get one AC installed in our factories as the SAC is asking us to bring OK reports from Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation, which is a cumbersome process. Hundreds of files of Focal Point for load extension or any other addition in the factory are lying pending with the PPCB, which is a great harassment for industrialists. Though the chairman has announced the move, we hope written orders will also come soon."

The PPCB chairman, however, said that the electromagnetic flow meter is mandatory only for those industrial units which are violating pollution norms. Mobil oil after use in generators can be used in machinery in respective units where there is no mismatch which will help the green category industry to get rid of consent for hazardous waste.

Permission for reuse of generator lubricants can be obtained from the PPCB engineer for an initial five years on renewal basis, announced the chairman.

The meeting was attended by prominent industrialists K K Seth, S K Lakra Phuman Singh Inderjit Nagpal, Ram Labhaya, T R Mishra, S M Mehta, Jaswinder Singh Birdi, Joga Singh, Lalit Sharma, PPCB member, Manmohan Singh Ubhi and others.

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