The National Green Tribunal’s Principal Bench in New Delhi recently addressed environmental concerns surrounding Kasauli Distillery’s alleged dumping of effluents into a natural water source.
The tribunal, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Expert Member Dr A. Senthil Vel, considered the application registered suo-motu on the issue of dumping of effluents into the natural source of water in Kasauli Khad by the Respondent No. 5.
The tribunal had initially constituted a Joint Committee to investigate the matter, which submitted its report in March 2024.
However, discrepancies were found, and a fresh committee was formed.
The second committee’s report, submitted in August 2024, highlighted several lapses and non-compliances by the distillery, including:
– Failure to maintain log books for water utilization and hazardous waste management
– Lack of electromagnetic flow meters for raw spent-wash
– Unapproved groundwater usage
– Inaccurate BOD and COD results due to dilution
– Non-preparation of an Irrigation Management Plan
The tribunal directed the distillery to file objections to the report within four weeks and the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB) to submit an action-taken report and water balance report within the same timeframe.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 17, 2025.