Appeal against closure of chemical unit denied

PUDUCHERRY: An appeal against the closure of Athiappa Chemicals  for causing air pollution in a nearby residential area by the Pondicherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC)  has been turned down.Air quality monitoring carried out by  PPCC revealed that the unit  had been causing air pollution and thereafter PPCC issued temporary shutdown of the unit and directed to establish online air quality monitoring system, said PPCC member-secretary S Sundaravadivelu on Thursday. The unit challenged PPCC direction before the  NGT. It dismissed the petition on December 14, 2011. Therafter it filed a writ challenging PPCC direction before the Madras HC. It too dismissed the writ petition on Jan 3, 2012.  The unit filled appeal against the PPCC direction before the Appellate Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forests. The appeal came up for hearing on Feb 21, 2012. The unit pleaded for interim stay of PPCC direction and requested to permission the unit to resume its activity.