Telangana: PCB issues stop production order to RFCL

Peddapalli: Telangana State Pollution Control Board(TSPCB) has issued stop production orders to Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) for violating environmental norms and not complying with PCB instructions. Under section 31 (A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 1987, PCB on Saturday issued a stop production order in the interest of […]

Peddapalli: Telangana State Pollution Control Board(TSPCB) has issued stop production orders to Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) for violating environmental norms and not complying with PCB instructions.

Under section 31 (A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 1987, PCB on Saturday issued a stop production order in the interest of protecting public health and environment.

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Based on the complaint lodged by Ramagundam MLA Korukanti Chandar regarding Ammonia gas leakages from the industry, PCB constituted a Rolling Task Force team, which inspected the RFCL thrice on September 15, 2021, March 28 and May 25, 2022. The team found several irregularities.

The Task Force committee meeting was held in Hyderabad on May 26, 2022, wherein both complainant Chandar and representative of the company aired their views. On the occasion, the RFCL representative assured to address all the issues raised by the Task Force team within a few months.

Not satisfied with reply, the committee recommended for issuing a stop production order to the industry for not taking adequate measures to control the ammonia emissions, not meeting the emissions standards with regard to stack and Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (AAQM) in spite of industry located in midst of the dense residential areas and not providing Sewerage Treatment Plan for residential colony of the industry.

The committee also recommended forfeit 50 percent of bank guarantee ie., Rs 12.5 lakh out of Rs 25 lakh submitted by RFCL. Based on the committee’s recommendation, PCB issued a stop production order.

On the other hand, the Task Force team, during its inspection, observed Ammonia emissions (leakage) from Urea Prilling tower, storage tanks, and production point.

As per CFE condition, the industry shall provide vacuum vent scrubber to Urea Prilling tower. However, RFCL has not provided any control system such as scrubber/ de-mister at the prilling tower.

The condensate effluents from Ammonia and Urea are directly let out into the atmosphere instead of treating in stripper by stripping with steam since stripper was not in operation at the time of inspection.

As per AAQM conducted on April 21 and 22, 2022, the ammonia levels in AAQ are exceeding the stipulated standard and on average it was recorded 600 ug/m3 as against the standard of 400 ug/m3.

The Suspended Particulate Matter levels of Urea Prilling tower are also exceeding the stipulated standard. It recorded 77 mg/Nm3 as against the standard of 50 mg/Nm3.

Though the industry has provided sensors at 51 places, the values of Ammonia are displayed in negative values indicating that the sensors are neither calibrated property nor manipulated.

Moreover, RFCL does not have an online monitoring system for ammonia at Urea prilling tower stack. Ammonia analyzer at the prill tower has not connected to the board server. Instead of three CAAQMS in the downwind, upwind and crosswind directions, only two were installed so far.

Spillages of urea were also observed at transfer point from urea plant to bagging house which resulted in fugitive emissions.

RFCL has not yet provided Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) for residential colony of the industry which is a major source of domestic effluents.

It has no environment monitoring cell for effective implementation in control of pollution measures and monitoring. It has not installed

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