KSPCB threatens to close illegal industries if they fail to obtain licence

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has appealed to the industries operating without its consent to apply for licence before January 15. It has threatened to first stop power supply to industries not obeying its order. If they continue to defy, they will be closed, said the board.

As per the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, any industry operating within Karnataka and discharging effluent into the environment shall obtain the consent of the KSPCB under Acts apart from providing the pollution control measures.

Industries are responsible for management of hazardous and other waste generated by them as per the provisions of the Hazardous and other waste management Rules, 2016. The hazardous and other waste which are not recyclable / reusable are required to be disposed of either to landfill or incineration/ co-processing on a case to case basis based as required calorie value. The Board has observed that many industries are handing over their hazardous and other waste to the standalone incinerators which are located far away, even though there are some located closeby. Long distance transportation of waste is likely to result in spillage, leakages etc during transportation. The board is stipulating the mode of disposal of hazardous and other waste while granting authorization under the Hazardous and other waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

One of the methods for disposal of waste having calorific value exceeding 1500 k.cal/hr is incinerating. The board has accorded permission for co-incineration of these waste in a cement kiln. In addition to co-processing, the board has also rendered consent and authorization to standalone incinerators. The waste generated from the industries is required to be transported to the place of incineration.

To avoid any mis-management during collection, transportation and disposal of waste, the board has decided that the hazardous and other waste should be transported in the authorized vehicles as required under the rules. The KSPCB has given authorization to many vehicles for transportation of waste and insisted on the industries using only authorized vehicles for transportation.