NGT Upholds Rs 10 Lakh Penalty on Delhi Dyeing Unit for Untreated Effluent Discharge
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has upheld an environmental compensation penalty of Rs 10 lakh imposed on a Delhi-based unit for operating a cloth washing and dyeing facility without required regulatory clearances and discharging untreated effluent into the sewer.
A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad dismissed an appeal challenging an order issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
The matter stems from a joint inspection carried out in May 2023 by a team of officials representing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), DPCC, BSES, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and Delhi Police. The joint inspection team reported that the unit was carrying out denim cloth processing, washing, and dyeing without obtaining the requisite statutory clearances.
According to the inspection findings, the entire trade effluent generated from the washing and dyeing activities was being discharged directly into the sewer system without undergoing any prior treatment. Officials also discovered processed and sun-dried cloth stacked on the first floor of the property.
Furthermore, the inspection team revealed that access to the unit had been established through a bypass around portions of the building that had previously been sealed by authorities. In response to the violations, the MCD moved to seal sections of the building, while the Delhi Jal Board and BSES disconnected the premises' water and electricity connections.
Challenging the DPCC's penalty, the appellant contended before the green panel that the washing machine seized during the joint inspection was a commonly used appliance and could not be considered evidence of industrial dyeing operations. The appellant also argued that he was a "Rangrej" by profession and was involved in dyeing traditional garments such as turbans and dupattas, rather than processing denim jeans.
The tribunal rejected these arguments and dismissed the appeal, maintaining the Rs 10 lakh penalty imposed by the DPCC.
