Greater Noida, July 31 (KNN) As the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT’s) deadline to shut down as many as 119 industries in western Uttar Pradesh has arrived, the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are at distress.

NGT, on behalf of Uttar Pradesh Regional Pollution Control Board, has served closure notice to 119 industries for causing water pollution. Out of these, 64 alone are in Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida.

The factories are in - Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur, Meerut, Hapur and Bulandshahar.

The type of factories which have got the closure notice include – Garment, Machine manufacturing company, Factory making silver coated parts, Industry related to paint manufacturing, Banners, posters and card-making factories etc.

The NGT’s order, which was issued on July 28, 2018 had given a three day department to shut the industries and inform the pollution department.

The MSMEs, who have got the notice, are stressed and agitated by the decision stating that the move will cause immense loss to the industry, the state’s economy and will lead to thousands of job losses.

Talking to KNN, BR Bhati, Former Chairman, Indian Industries Association – Greater Noida Chapter, said, Ever since the NGT issued warning in December 2016 to the industries here causing water pollution, the MSMEs have been asking for alternatives like subsidies to get new machinery, change old DG sets or help to shift to another industry.”

The industry is understanding the problem and is ready to cooperate, Bhati said adding that they want the Tribunal and the state government to give some more time to the industry.

He said the MSMEs, who have put too much money in setting up the units, had proposed to conduct a survey and help them change the machinery or shift to other industries in phases.

Bhati said it is easy for the big industries to get new machines but for MSMEs there is an affordability issue also. It is even not feasible to switch to some other business as that too requires a lot of money.

This, he said, would give time to the MSMEs which are the major job creators in the region and also solve the problem simultaneously.

A dispute was filed in the National Green Tribunal on behalf of the Doaba Environmental Committee. In this, various companies were accused of spreading water pollution. During the hearing, the NGT constituted a committee under the leadership of then-secretary AB Akholkar of the Central Pollution Control Board.

On the directions of NGT, the committee started inspecting water samples of 316 factory units in western Uttar Pradesh districts, including Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar whose report was submitted in the NGT on July 6.

The NGT ordered a survey by a joint team of officials from state agencies concerned on January 16 after a petitioner in the green court had contended that polluted water discharged by industries has led to contamination of surface and groundwater, as it is discharged directly into the Hindon and two of its tributaries, Krishni and Kali (west).

In the report, 119 industries were found guilty of discharging polluted water. After this, the NGT has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Regional Pollution Board to get all these industries closed. After this, Noida and Ghaziabad regional pollution boards were issued notice on July 28 to close all related industries.

The industrial units discharging effluents into river Hindon and its tributaries include sugar, distilleries, pulp and paper, strawboard, slaughterhouses and textiles, among others. (KNN Bureau)