Suzlon Rotor Corporation, its US subsidiary which manufactures wind turbine blades and nose cones at Pipestone, Minnesota, has been fined by the local Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for allegedly violating air pollution control norms.
Suzlon Rotor Corporation did not seek its prior clearance for an air permit before setting up the manufacturing unit and operationalising it in 2006. Hence, the company is liable to pay a penalty of $19,000 (about Rs 7.8 lakhs) for the violation, the agency has said.
"There was some delay in applying for a few statutory permissions during the construction stage. We have complied with the requirements of the agency and have paid the nominal fine amount for the delay," said a company source.
A Suzon Energy spokesperson declined to comment on the matter citing the Pune headquarters was yet to get any official communication on this from the agency.
"Suzlon's manufacturing unit has a potential to emit 27 tonnes per year of hazardous air pollutants, 17 tonnes of which could be xylene and, hence, the company is subject to federal standards for hazardous air pollutants," said an MPCA communication on its website.
Suzlon began construction of the 36.6-acre facility in October 2005 and started production in November 2006. However, it did not apply for the mandatory
