Compliance report in compliance to the NGT order, February 24, 2021 in the matter of OA No. 19/2021 (Sanjay Kumar Vs State of Uttar Pradesh & Others).

The matter is related to the operation of hot mix plants in village Wazidpur, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The court had directed the Joint Committee of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to look into the carrying capacity of the area, where the hot mix plants are in operation.

The Joint Committee during the site visit, June 4, 2021 and observed that out of 8 hot mix plants, 7 were not in operation at the time of visit. The committee was informed that these units were not in operation due to implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and afterwards the second wave of Covid-19, due to which there was no work order. The air pollution control system (bag house filter unit) and chimney of height about 45 ft, from ground level is attached with all the hot mix plants to control the air pollution and all of them have proper monitoring arrangement and water sprinkling arrangement within the premises.

With respect to carrying capacity of the ambient air environment of hot mix cluster area of village Wazidpur, Noida - the report said that source apportionment study is required considering the differing polluting activities of the study area to assess the contribution of individual activities to propose production limits. This would help in keeping the ambient air environment within assimilative capacity.

The committee recommended that no new hot mix plant may be allowed to establish and operate in the area including any expansion of the existing units. Supporting infrastructure such as road needs to be improved, green belts must be developed and provision of water sprinkling in the hot mix plants in order to control the fugitive dust emission should be followed. Siting criteria would be applicable for new establishments and existing establishments should take appropriate environmental friendly practices.

At present these units are using diesel as a fuel and the committee has recommended installation of additional alkali scrubbers to minimize S02 and NO2 emission.