Shimla, Aug. 4
National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slapped notices to a pharmaceutical company and other respondents over allegations of environmental violations by an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing unit in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district.
The Principal Bench of the NGT in New Delhi took cognisance of an application alleging that Kiinvan Pvt. Ltd., located at Village Palasra in Nalagarh, obtained Environmental Clearance by furnishing incorrect information and subsequently violated several environmental norms.
The petitioners alleged that the company claimed in its application that the unit would not generate industrial effluents and that no water body existed nearby. However, they contended that Chikni Khad, a tributary of the Sarsa River flowing adjacent to the unit, has been receiving untreated industrial effluents and chemical waste despite the plant being approved as a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facility.
The application further alleged illegal disposal of toxic wastewater, unauthorized extraction of groundwater through six borewells despite permission for only one, and contamination of the surrounding environment resulting in fish mortality and damage to the local ecosystem.
The applicants informed the Tribunal that although the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board had initially given the unit a clean chit, it later issued a show-cause notice highlighting alleged violations.
They submitted that no final decision has yet been taken on the notice and produced photographs and media reports to support their claims.
After hearing the matter, the Tribunal observed that the allegations raised substantial questions relating to environmental protection, water pollution and compliance with statutory norms. It issued notices to the respondents and directed the applicants to serve copies of the application and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next hearing.
The case has been listed for further hearing on October 12, 2026.
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The order was passed on July 31, 2026, by a Bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr. Afroz Ahmad, Expert Member, in Original Application No. 446/2026, Dharminder Singh & Others versus Kiinvan Pvt. Ltd. & Others.
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