Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO), a farmers' cooperative society that manufactures fertilisers, is facing a shutdown notice from the state pollution regulator, Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) for violation of water pollution norms at its urea making unit at Hazira in South Gujarat.
The regulator issued a closure notice for the division-2 of the urea plant as 14 buffaloes had died after drinking the polluted water at Kribhco's campus.
According to GPCB officials, the discharge from the division-2 of the plant contained toxic chemical, ammoniacal nitrogen in much more than the prescribed limits. Surat region of the GPCB had issued the notice under section 33A of the water (prevention and control of pollution) act, 1974 on July 5. "The company officials had buried the corpses of the 14 buffaloes that had died on June 15 without informing GPCB about the incident. We have issued the notice to the cooperative society and asked them to comply with the environment norms within 15 days," said A G Patel, regional officer, GPCB, Surat. Patel informed the unit’s electricity connection could be cut and further punitive steps could be taken.
