At least 578 textile units in Rajasthan’s Pali District that remained closed for flouting pollution norms will be re-opened soon. India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given permission for conditional reopening of these textile units. The decision was taken by the Jodhpur bench of the Tribunal.
The bench allowed conditional reopening of these units after the owners gave an assurance that they would follow all the directions passed by the Tribunal. Surreptitious and illegal dyeing and bleaching activities, impact on the employment and livelihood of workers directly or indirectly dependent on the industries were taken into consideration while pronouncing the decision.
As per Tribunal’s direction a monitoring committee comprising representatives of IIT Jodhpur, Central Pollution Control Board and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board will also be formed to carry out inspections and surprise checks of the industries and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) in the region.
Also Read – Textile units in Pali (India) violating NGT norms
Apart from this, the Tribunal has also directed the constitution of a district-level taskforce to ensure that no industry functions illegally or in violation of the pollution rules and norms. The taskforce will also chart out a surveillance mechanism and take punitive measures against defaulting units.
The polluting textile units were directed to close their operations on October 3 last year, while hearing a petition moved by an environmental organisation, the Kissan Paryavaran Sangharsh Samiti.
