Vedanta's Lanjigarh unit gets showcause notice for selling hazardous waste

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has slapped a showcause notice on Vedanta Ltd's Lanigarh unit for unauthorised sale of hazardous waste. 

Vedanta runs an alumina refinery plant at Lanjigarh with a nameplate capacity of six million tonne per annum.

The pollution watchdog has pulled up the company for violation of 'Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. The showcause notice has been issued under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

"You are directed to stop selling of such hazardous waste (vanadium containing sludge/compounds) to outside parties not having permission of CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board), New Delhi under Rule-9 and authorisation from SPCB, Odisha. 

Further, you are directed to show cause as to why authorisation to your unit shall not be suspended and imposition of financial penalty as per 'Implementing Liabilities for Environmental Damages due to Handling & Disposal of Hazardous Waste and Penalty' including closure direction under Section-5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 shall not be issued to your unit for such illegal selling of vanadium containing sludge to unauthorised parties", member secretary, SPCB wrote to the chief operating officer, Vedanta Ltd, Lanjigarh.

Should Vedanta fail to reply within 21 days, or the explanation submitted by it is found to be unsatisfactory, the SPCB would take action as fit without giving any further opportunity to the company.

Vedanta officials could not be immediately contacted for comments.

Vedanta, in August 2016, had intimated to the SPCB regarding sale of 200 tonne of vanadium containing sludge to R R Ferro Alloys, Korba (Chhattisgarh). The SPCB had enquired if the vanadium containing sludge re-processing unit has obtained permission from the CPCB under Rule 9 of 'Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

Vanadium containing sludge comes under Schedule-2 as per 'Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008 and re-processing of such waste requires approval from CPCB, New Delhi. The SPCB has now instructed Vedanta's Lanjigarh unit to stop selling of such hazardous wastes to outside parties not having permission of CPCB, New Delhi.