The State Pollution Control Board has served closure notices to five leading hotels in Bhubaneswar and Puri for violating water pollution norms.
The notices were issued to the hotels on February 20 for violation of Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
In the notices, the Pollution Control Board authorities have asked the hoteliers to close their establishments or else legal action would be taken against them. The establishments include Puri’s Sipasarubali Hotel and Hotel Balaji International at Baliapanda and Bhubaneswar-based Hotel Bari International at Nayapalli, Hotel Ginger opposite the Nalco headquarters near Jayadev Vihar, Hotel Green Field at Rasulgarh and Hotel Stone Palace at Chandaka.
As per a directive by the Supreme Court to take action against the firms creating water pollution, State Pollution Control Board officials had visited the hotels and inspected their sewage treatment plants, which were found to be nonfunctional. On the basis of a review report, the pollution watchdog authorities served the closure notices to the hotels, directing them to shut down their units till proper functioning of the effluent treatment plants (ETPs).