Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Atindranath Chatterjee Vs West Bengal Pollution Control Board & Others dated 08/09/2021.

The allegation is that M/s SRMB Srijan Pvt. Ltd., unit is operating an induction furnace factory and rolling mill producing TMT bar at Sagarbhanga, Durgapur, within Durgapur Municipal Corporation, Paschim Bardhaman over an area of 23.785 acre of land allotted by Asansol Durgapur Development Authority.

Inspection by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, July 23, 2019 had found violation of environmental norms by the unit. The unit was directed to dismantle the slag crusher unit and was required to operate the unit with proper functioning of pollution control system complying with the environmental norms. The industry was also required to develop a green belt of at least 33 per cent of total project land area in and around the plant. Further, the unit is extracting groundwater in excess of permissible limit.

The Eastern bench of the NGT directed all the respondents (West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, Durgapur Municipal Corporation, M/s SRMB Srijan Pvt. Ltd., State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and others) to file their counter affidavits within four weeks and listed the matter, October 26, 2021.