The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has shut 21 ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in Pune, Satara and Solapur districts after finding that they had not complied with regulations introduced to control air pollution, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune.
The action follows a compliance drive launched by the MPCB in January to check whether RMC plants were following the new rules. The plants were reportedly given time to correct violations, but the board proceeded with closures after they failed to comply.
RMC plants manufacture and supply concrete for housing, roadwork and other construction projects. Their expansion has accompanied the rapid growth of the housing and construction sector in and around Pune. At the same time, residents have repeatedly complained that these facilities contribute to air pollution in urban and peri-urban areas.
The concerns are linked to the handling and movement of cement, sand and other materials used in concrete production. The report does not provide plant-wise details of the violations or specify the individual locations of the 21 facilities. It also does not state how long the closures will remain in force or whether the plants can resume operations after completing corrective measures.
The MPCB introduced a new set of rules for RMC plants in October last year following continued complaints about pollution from such facilities. The regulatory action was preceded by protests by residents at some locations, highlighting the growing conflict between construction activity and neighbourhood-level environmental conditions.
Implementation of the new rules was reportedly delayed because the MPCB did not receive adequate cooperation from local self-government bodies. The report says that the administrative impasse was eventually resolved, after which the pollution control board instructed RMC operators to comply with the requirements.
The January inspection campaign covered Pune, Satara and Solapur districts. The MPCB found violations at 21 plants during the exercise. After the operators did not meet the requirements within the time allowed, the board took the step of shutting the facilities.
The closures place regulatory compliance at the centre of the relationship between construction suppliers, local authorities and pollution-control agencies. RMC plants are part of the construction supply chain, but their operations also affect surrounding communities through dust and material-handling activity. The immediate effect on ongoing construction projects has not been specified in the report.
The MPCB has indicated that the action will continue against RMC plants that fail to follow the rules. The next steps will depend on compliance by the affected operators and further inspections by the board.
