PPCB imposes Rs. 5 crore fine on Ropar Thermal Plant, withdraws ‘consent to operate’
Babushahi Network
Ropar, July 17, 2025: In an important development the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has imposed a fine of Rs 5 crore on the Ropar thermal plant for violating environmental laws and also withdrawn its ‘consent to operate’ the plant which will result in stopping of fresh supply of coal for the plant.
According to a report of ‘The Tribune’, in an order passed on July 7 after a hearing before the PPCB Chairman. Report said the plant authorities have been directed to deposit Rs 5 crore within 15 days.
With the board withdrawing the “consent to operate”, the plant authorities would not be able get fresh coal supply till the orders were stayed.
Report said that the plant management has been directed to comply with the observations of the team of PPCB officials that visited the plant on March 29, 2025. The next hearing in the case will be held in the second week of August. The PPCB order came following a complaint by Jagdeep Singh of nearby Thalli village. He had alleged that fly ash from the plant was depositing on their houses, crops and elsewhere. The complaint was made in January 2024. During an inspection, the PPCB team noticed glaring violation of environmental laws by the plant authorities.
Report further said that there is a high probability of leaching of ash slurry into the Sutlej due to the absence of pucca embankments and leachate collection or treatment systems around ash dykes. Fugitive emissions and poor road conditions near ash dykes pose significant health and environmental hazards. Ash-covered roads without water sprinklers or tire wash cause significant secondary dust emissions due to vehicle movement. The PPCB officials also found discrepancies in reported ash generation and utilisation data, indicating poor recordkeeping or intentional misreporting. Despite generating over 10 lakh metric tonne of ash annually, the plant failed to meet the mandated progressive utilisation targets, particularly for bottom ash and legacy ash. The utilisation of ash by the plant was just about 36 per cent.
The order also stated that no active chemical dosing was being done in the neutralisation tank for plant reject and the entire material was being discharged untreated into common drain connected to the Sutlej. No oil-water separator or hazardous waste containment was observed at locations where waste transformer oil and heavy fuel oil were found.
Report quoted Plant Chief Engineer Harish Kumar Sharma who said that they would file an appeal against the order of the Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman in the next few days.