Over 30 hotels, guest houses served closure notice
SHILLONG: Following closure notices, some of the city hotels have come forward with the required documents to “prove the legality of their functioning” but withdrawal of the notice, if at all that happens, may take some time as it solely depends on the NGT.
More than 30 hotels and guest houses in the city were served closure notices following the order from NGT, Eastern Zone Kolkata, to take penal action against erring hotels for failing to install Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and releasing untreated polluted water directly to the rivers thus violating the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, member secretary of Meghalaya Pollution Control Board, JH Nengnong on Tuesday said that under Section 25 of the Act, consent of the State Board is a must for establishment and operation of hotels.
Referring to the present closure notice, Nengnong said, “Some of the hotels facing closure have come forward to furnish the required documents as per the application but withdrawal of the notice depends on the NGT.”
Stating that no time frame has been set by the Board for withdrawal of notices he said, “Once the people receive the closure notices they have to close down immediately. For any redressal of grievances, those concerned will have to appeal to the NGT.”
The next hearing on the matter will be on July 14 and 25 respectively.
Commenting on the use of ETPs in hotels and guests houses, Nengnong said, “The ETPs are of different types and modern technology has made it easier to install ETP at the parking lot or basement or any small space.” Elaborating on the use of ETPs, which are crucial to wastewater treatment, he said that the technology will reduce the requirement of fresh water as water can be re-used for other purposes in the hotels or guests houses.
“There is not much investment involved and it will be helpful in the long run,” he added.
Nengnong stated that around 30-40 per cent of the hotels that are classed as industrial units have come forward to get the consent of the Board.