CPCB orders Tata Chemicals to shut down Haldia plant

Kolkata, March 14 (IANS) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered Tata Chemicals to shut down its Haldia plant in West Bengal's East Midnapore district for alleged non-compliance with prescribed norms of liquid affluent discharge, the company said on Tuesday.

"This is to inform you that on March 11, the company received a notice from the CPCB under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, to shut down plant operations at Haldia for alleged non-compliance with the prescribed norms for liquid affluent discharge," the company said in a regulatory filing to BSE.

This order was based on an analysis of a sample drawn on January 9 by the CPCB, which found that it failed to meet prescribed norms for discharge of effluents, it added.

The firm has made a written representation to the CPCB to rescind the order.

"The company, in its representation, has submitted the reports on parallel samples drawn on the same day to confirm compliance with the prescribed norms by a State Pollution Control Board-approved lab," it said.

According to the filing, the fertilisers producer has also submitted reports by independent labs approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and West Bengal Pollution Control Board which has confirmed that the levels are "within the norms".

Incidentally, the company had earlier said the Haldia plant will remain shut from February 21 to April 15 on account of "ammonia pipeline relocating project hook-up and commissioning", along with "annual shutdown of the plant for planned repair and maintenance work".

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