Paradip, Aug. 13: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board has imposed penalty against 1.2 million metric tonne fertiliser plant of Paradip Phosphates Limited near the port town for air pollution.

The premier private sector plant, engaged in manufacturing and marketing of complex phosphatic fertiliser, had been served a show cause notice last month for emitting toxic air-borne particles and causing extensive damage to plant-side vegetation.

“Investigation by the board’s scientists found the plant to have triggered air pollution. That had caused considerable damage to the green corridors on the peripheral areas of the plant. For violating the pollution control law, a case has been registered against the company management under Section 33 (A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,” regional officer of the board Prasant Kumar Kar.

“The company has been asked to put in place the pollution control mechanism. It has also been directed to furnish a written undertaking pledging not to commit repeat offence of this nature,” said Kar.

The company would pay penalty, the extent and amount of which is to be decided by a board panel, for causing damage to vegetation. The penalty sum realised from the industrial house would be spent to raise greenery and compensate the green cover loss.

Penalty measures have been initiated in accordance with a ruling earlier pronounced by the National Green Tribunal, said an official.

The Jagatsinghpur district administration has been asked to assess the green damage caused due to pollution by the plant. The findings of assessment by the district administration would be a parameter to decide penalty fixation of the plant, he said.

It was found that the plant leaves were affected by emission of murate of potash particles in the air from the plant site. If things continued, it would lead to reduce growth and premature death of the trees, said a board official.

General manager (personnel and administration) of the company P.K. Panda said: “The weathering away of plants has been brought to our notice. It is being departmentally inquired whether the fertiliser plant had anything to do with it. The company has engaged environment experts to ascertain the facts.”

“The board officials have also asked us to maintain ambient air quality level. We are abiding by the direction. We have sought two-month time to put in place the air pollution control mechanism to effectively stop release of dust particles in the air,” said Panda.