Question : Surprise Inspection of Polluting Industries

(a) whether the Central Pollution Control Board has conducted any surprise or on-the-spot inspection of some industrial establishments/industries causing environmental pollution in various States, especially in Odisha during last four years;
(b) if so, the total number of such surprise inspection carried out during the last three years, State/UT and location-wise;
(c) the details of companies/industries found polluting environment during the said inspections, State/UT-wise and the action taken thereon;
(d) whether the Government have received any report with regard to all these industrial establishments and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether several companies/ industries have been found to be releasing polluting substance in rivers, if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to (e) Monitoring and inspection of industrial units are through surveillance squad and online systems. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has conducted surprise inspection of industries in the 17 categories of highly polluting industries under the Environmental Surveillance Squad Programme (ESSP) under which 106 industries have been inspected during 2014-15 and18 Directions have been issued in case of non-compliance. 4 industries were inspected in Odisha during 2014-15 and Directions was issued to one industry under the ESSP. Online Continuous Emission/ Effluent Monitoring system was introduced by CPCB in 2016 for transparent and objective monitoring of industrial units in States/ Union Territories (UTs). CPCB has been carrying out surprise inspections based on SMS alert system generated by Online Continuous Emission/ Effluent Monitoring system. The details of the monitoring carried out in different States/ UTs is at Annexure. 18 inspections have been carried out in Odisha and11 directions were issued for non-compliance. CPCB has also inspected 1109 Grossly Polluting industries (GPIs) in the Ganga Basin during December, 2015- April, 2017 out of which 528 GPIs were found to be non-complying with the prescribed effluent discharge standards, non-availability of valid consent and non-connectivity etc.

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