GPCB: Closure notices to 550 Morbi ceramic units

Nearly half of all units at India's largest ceramic cluster, in Morbi and Wankaner, were issued closure notices by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), following the National Green Tribunal order that all units running on coal gasifiers be shut down. As many as 550 of the 1,000-odd manufacturing units in the cluster are facing closure as they run on coal gasifiers. The notice, issued by GPCB's Morbi unit head D M Taker, warns that punitive measures will be taken if units fail to switch to LNG/PNG in seven days. The NGT's Delhi bench ordered that coal gasifiers be dismantled and directed ceramics units to switch to LNG/PNG if they wanted to continue operations. This measure to curb pollution is likely to disrupt production in the Rs 40,000-crore industry. The NGT issued these directions in response to a petition by a Palanpur resident, Babubhai Saini.