The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Brahamaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) popularly known as Assam Gas Cracker Project to close down its operation for allegedly creating pollution in the Leptekata area in Dibrugarh district.
The NGT order came following a complaint filed with the environmental watchdog by Dibrugarh Fishery Co-operative Society Ltd and Saikhowa Sadiya Min Samabai Ltd against BCPL.
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The Gauhati High Court, however, has stayed the NGT order directing closure of BCPL’s operations.
The Eastern Zone Bench of NGT after going through the analysis report of the sample waste water collected from ETP on two dates–August 7 and September 5–found that the level of discharge of effluent from BCPL at least in five components were in excess of the permissible standards.
According to sources, the BCPL is allegedly violating effluent standard and polluting surrounding rivers and water bodies by discharging industrial wastes in the river.
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Dibrugarh Fishery Co-operative Society Ltd and Saikhowa Sadiya Min Samabai Ltd alleged that BCPL is violating the pollution norms by discharging industrial wastes directly into the nearby water bodies through underground pipes without being treated.
The contamination of water by toxic wastes has led to water pollution.
The BCPL authorities have denied the allegations and stated that adequate measures have been taken to avoid any type of pollution.
The BCPL, however, refused to comment as the matter is sub-judice.
“We cannot discharge the industrial wastes directly into the water bodies because we have to maintain certain procedure. We have industrial treatment plant and after maintain all the procedure we discharge the industrial effluents,” a BCPL top official said.
The Assam Gas cracker project or BCPL was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 5 last year.
Assam Gas Cracker Project located at Lepetkata in Dibrugarh is the first ever petrochemical project in entire Northeast, promoted by GAIL .
The plant came as a part of the historic Assam Accord signed in 1985 with the motive of overall socio-economic development of the region.