The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has imposed a fine of Rs 99.71 lakh on a beverage factory in Patiala?for extracting groundwater without necessary permission, officials said on Saturday.
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The penalty was imposed following a raid conducted by a team of the PPCB and other departments at the factory premises in the Timber market in Rajpura.
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The raid was conducted to investigate alleged violations of environmental norms by the factory, the officials said.
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During the raid, the team found several discrepancies, including illegal extraction of groundwater and non-compliance with pollution control regulations, they said.
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Following the discovery of these violations, the PPCB issued a notice to the factory, which supplies packaged drinking water and soda, imposing a penalty of Rs 99,71,200 for the environmental damage caused by its operations, they added.
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The PPCB also directed the factory management to take immediate corrective measures to address the environmental issues and submit a compliance report within a stipulated time frame.
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The issue came to light when residents of the area complained against the factory, following which the Rajpura sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) constituted a team comprising officials of the PPCB and the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board to check the factory's activities, according to the officials.
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The team discovered that the company had installed a borewell without the permission of the competent authority for the extraction of groundwater, the officials said.
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Subsequently, the deputy commissioner of Patiala requested the PPCB to take action against the factory for the violation.
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After examining the case, the PPCB revoked the consent to operate the factory under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
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