MC Explains: Why Maharashtra pollution authority is sending notices to cement cos

MPCB issued compliance notice to JSW Green Cement for flouting air pollution norms

Looming concerns about the worsening air quality in metropolitan cities like Mumbai and New Delhi have put the Indian cement industry under the scanner again. Earlier this month, authorities acted against a JSW Group cement company and ready-mix concrete plants in Mumbai for allegedly flouting air pollution norms.

Moneycontrol explains how cement companies generate air pollution and what they are doing to curb it.

What did the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) do?

On November 1, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board issued compliance notices to JSW Green Cement, a subsidiary of the JSW Group, for not adhering to air pollution norms at its plant. Additionally, MPCB officials visited four ready-mix concrete (RMC)  plants and issued notices after inspection, according to media reports. The MPCB also closed down two RMC plants in the city.

According to reports, the MPCB said its teams visited 63 RMC plants and other small establishments and found irregularities.

"We have already confiscated bank guarantees of these companies including that of JSW Green Cement and have directed the authorities to cut water and electricity supply," VM Motghare, joint director of MPCB, told Moneycontrol, confirming the reports.

Why did the MPCB send these notices?  

Infrastructure projects and large-scale building construction and demolition work have generated dust over several parts of Mumbai, escalating the city’s AQI (air quality index) to 156 on October 19. At this time, New Delhi, which is generally considered more polluted than Mumbai, has an AQI of 121.

As of November 8 morning, Mumbai’s AQI stood at 145.

The dust pollution prompted the civic and state authorities to act against several companies, including Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd. and CEAT Tyres. Cement plants were also under the scanner as processes for cement manufacturing such as mining, raw material preparing, cement milling, and are responsible for air pollution.

According to MPCB guidelines, cement companies should have enclosed material transfer points and should install water sprinkling systems along the periphery inside the premises of RMC plants to prevent dust pollution.

What plant does JSW Green Cement operate in Mumbai?

The company has two RMC plants in Deonar in Mumbai with a capacity of 60 cubic meters per hour. RMC is a specially formulated blend of cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures.

What has the company said?

The JSW Group declined to comment on the matter. However, a person aware of the matter said the company is complying with the norms.

"The Mumbai plant is not closing. There were some minor observations by the authority and the company is implementing it," the person said.

The Indian cement industry

India is the second-largest cement manufacturing country in the world after China. Cement plays a crucial role in the development of any country. Demand for cement is expected to increase with infrastructure projects announced ahead of the national elections scheduled in 2024. Cement production in India is expected to be 800 million tonnes a year by 2030, according to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

What are cement companies doing to curb pollution?

Indian cement companies have started some sustainable practices to prevent pollution and achieve climate goals. Some methods they are following include:

Using fly ash in clinkers, the backbone of cement production, to help reduce emissions and fuel consumed.

Using alternative fuels such as biomass, municipal solid waste, and refuse-derived fuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. UltraTech Cement uses municipal solid waste and other industrial waste as alternative fuel in its kilns through co-processing. The company aims to meet 100 percent of its electricity requirements through renewable sources by 2050.