Court gives clean chit to PPL on pollution

 Disposing of a writ petition filed in this by a Cuttack based NGO, a division bench of the High Court comprising chief justice SB Roy and Justice AK Patnaik stated that all effective steps have been taken in accordance with law by PPL for controlling the environmental pollution.

 In view of the inspection report and taking into account that the petitioner has nothing more to say as stated by the petitioner?s counsel, the learned bench comprising declared the writ petition closed?.

 Earlier the court had directed the senior environmental engineer of Orissa State Pollution control board to inspect the PPL plant at Paradip and submit a report. The judges passed the order after going through the report.

 Meanwhile, a PPL spokesman said that the court order has vindicated the company?s commitment for sustainable development and protection of Orissa?s ecology by balancing industrialisation with nature protection, prevention of pollution and conservation of natural resources.

 PPL, towards its objective of making the company totally pollution free, had commissioned the largest effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) in the Indian fertiliser industry soon after disinvestments last year.

 The company has also commissioned a state-of-the-art alkali scrubber at its sulphuric acid plant as a further step towards controlling emissions and ensuring a cleaner environment at Paradip.