The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has fined the Ropar thermal plant ₹5 crore for breaking environmental rules. The board has also canceled the plant’s “consent to operate,” meaning it cannot continue its activities or receive fresh coal until further notice.

This action was taken after a hearing on July 7. The plant must pay the fine within 15 days and fix the issues found by a PPCB inspection team that visited in March 2025. The next hearing is scheduled for mid-August.

The case began with a complaint from Jagdeep Singh, a resident of nearby Thalli village, who reported that fly ash from the plant was affecting their homes and crops. An investigation revealed serious violations, including:

Risk of ash slurry entering the Sutlej River due to poor containment

Ash-covered roads without dust control measures like water sprinklers

Only 36% of ash being reused despite generating over 10 lakh metric tonnes yearly

Improper disposal of untreated plant waste into local drains

No safeguards for hazardous waste like oil

The PPCB also found errors in the plant’s records regarding ash handling, raising concerns about false reporting.

Chief Engineer Harish Kumar Sharma said the plant will appeal the order, claiming they have followed most rules but some requirements were hard to meet in practice.