The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has closed 21 ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in Pune, Satara and Solapur districts after finding that they had failed to comply with the pollution-control rules introduced for the sector, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune.
The action comes as the construction sector expands rapidly across the region and the number of RMC plants grows alongside housing and infrastructure activity. These plants supply concrete to construction sites, but complaints about air pollution linked to their operations have also increased, the report said.
The MPCB introduced a new set of rules for RMC plants in October last year. The rules were brought in after repeated concerns about air pollution and protests by residents in some locations. The report said that citizens in certain areas had taken to the streets against RMC plants, bringing greater attention to the local impact of dust and other emissions associated with construction-related activity.
Implementation of the rules was initially delayed because RMC plants were not receiving cooperation from local self-government institutions, according to the report. The issue was subsequently resolved, after which the MPCB instructed the plants to comply with the new requirements.
The pollution-control board began a district-level inspection drive in January to determine whether RMC plants were following the new rules. The campaign covered Pune, Satara and Solapur districts. During the inspections, violations were found at 21 RMC plants, the report said.
The plants were given time to comply with the rules after the violations were identified. However, the operators allegedly delayed or avoided compliance even after receiving the opportunity to make the required changes. The MPCB therefore proceeded with closure action against the plants.
The closures place regulatory enforcement at the centre of a recurring urban tension: construction activity is needed to support expanding housing and infrastructure, while the same activity can intensify pollution for nearby communities when safeguards are not followed. The supplied report does not provide the names of the closed plants, their individual locations, the specific provisions breached or the duration of the closures.
The MPCB has indicated that inspections and action against non-compliant RMC plants will continue. Further enforcement will depend on compliance with the rules and the outcome of subsequent inspections by the board.
