The government has introduced yet another fee just to issue a clearance certificate to the industries located in mixed land use area. All units which are seeking renewal of licence from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB)have to first get clearance from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) that they are in mixed land use area. To get that form,one has to shell out Rs 5,000. A deputation of the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association,Ludhiana Effluent Treatment Society and Ludhiana Electroplating Association met member secretary of the PPCB,Babu Ram,in Patiala and asked him to remove this condition. Charanjeet Singh Vishvkarma,president of the association,said,This burden on small units is too much just to get one form. When as per the master plan,already industries located in mixed land use areas have been given permission to operate till 2018,then why are we being asked to get clearance from GLADA? He added that the PPCB was giving them renewal licence of one or two years against the single licence till 2018. He asked the PPCB to give licence for a longer period. The members of the association alleged that apart from the official fee of Rs 5,000,the staff asks for undue favours as well. The delegation also met principal secretary (labour) Vishawjeet Khanna. Babu Ram told the delegation that the PPCB chairman and he himself would visit Ludhiana on Wednesday and hold a meeting with the pollution board officers.
