Taking step forward on the previous order of National Green Tribunal (NGT), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has started issuing notices to city hotels, banquet halls and club houses for spreading pollution while hosting parties. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had also issued guidelines in this regard. The guidelines say that hotels, restaurants, etc, must have a mechanism for controlling water pollution by setting up effluent treatment plant (ETP) for treating waste water from the kitchen, laundry and domestic sewage. Even roadside eateries having minimum seating capacity for 36 people must have an ETP, say the guidelines.

 

It says that water meters have to be installed to record the daily consumption of water to monitor the actual flows at the inlet and outlet on a daily basis. In case of groundwater extraction. Necessary permission must be taken from concerned authorities for extraction of groundwater. The CPCB has asked state pollution control board to take action against units for unauthorised or illegal groundwater extraction. The groundwater extraction pits should have meters for recording the quantity of water extraction. The guidelines also cover energy conservation measures, solid waste management, proper disposal of hazardous and plastic waste, curbing noise pollution and provision of parking by all hotels, restaurants, wedding halls, etc.

 

“As per the guidelines of CPCB, we are working on robust monitoring mechanism to evaluate compliance at least twice a year along with the local bodies in the State,” said a senior official of MPCB to The Hitavada. “In Nagpur we have issued notices to few hotels and banquet halls for not having proper ETP and violation of the pollution norms recently. For taking proper action against such halls and hotels we require co-operation from the local bodies too,” said the senior officer. The NGT in its September 2019 order had highlighted violation of environmental norms by hotels, banquet halls, restaurants and roadside eateries. The green tribunal had asked the CPCB to provide for coercive measures in case of violations and also a monitoring mechanism to curb pollution. Accordingly, the CPCB guidelines have been framed. 

 

 

The Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) of Nagpur Municipal Corporation on Tuesday took action against seven halls for violation of guidelines relating to invitees at marriage functions. A fine of Rs 37,000 was levied on various halls in the city. NDS team took action against owners of Parate Hall, Radhe Mangalam Hall and Golden Leaf Lawn, all in Laxminagar Zone, Saibaba Hall and Kusumatai Wankhede Hall in Dharampeth Zone, Jatkewar Mangal Office in Nehru Nagar Zone and Pritam Hall in Sataranjipura. A fine of Rs 5,000 each was levied on them for not keeping the sanitizer in their respective booking office.

 

As number of COVID-19 patients are steadily increasing in city, Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B frowned upon citizens taking liberties under Mission Being Again. To ensure strict compliance with guidelines relating to crowding, wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and using sanitizers or washing hands, NMC machinery was activated. Khamla, Swavalambinagar, Jaitala, Ayodhya Nagar, New Bidipeth, Wathoda, Dighori, Jaripatka, Jafarnagar etc. areas of the city have the highest number of corona victims. Therefore, the citizens of this area need to be vigilant while taking care of safety and hence NMC has started imposing fines on those who take hall on rent and also the owners.