NEW DELHI, Feb 1 � Six cement plants including the Bokajan cement plant have been indicted for violating environmental laws.
Out of these, one cement plant has been issued directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, the five other cement plants have been served with directions under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, an official sources said.
The plants include Cement Corporation of India Limited, Bokajan, Assam, ACC Limited, Jamul Cement Works, Durg, Chattisgarh, Bagalkot Cement and Industries Limited, Bagalkot, Karnataka, Travencore Cements Limited, Kottayam, Kerala, Orient Cement, Devapur, Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh and ACC Ltd, Keymore Cement Works, Keymore, Madhya Pradesh, sources said.
All the defaulting cement plants have been issued directions by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, sources said.
There are two cement plants owned by M/s. Jay Pee at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh and Jay Pee Rewa cement plant. M/s. Jay Pee Bela cement plant was found to be marginally exceeding the emission standards for which Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board was asked to take corrective action, sources said.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) informed there are 128 cement plants in the country out of which, six have been reported to be non-compliant with the prescribed standards, said official of the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
As reported, a case is pending in the Supreme Court over threats posed to the endangered caves in neighbouring Meghalaya, purported to be the longest in Asia, by cement factories and rampant mining.
