Decide on Piramal's Dahej plant in a week: Supreme Court to Gujarat Pollution Control Board

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to decide within a week on Piramal Pharma's plea seeking the immediate reopening of its Dahej manufacturing facility, which was shut over alleged discharge of hazardous waste into a canal connected to the Narmada River.

The court, however, refused to grant any interim relief to the pharma company.

Piramal Pharma operates a zero-liquid-discharge plant at Dahej where it produces hexafluoro-methoxypropane, a critical intermediate in the synthesis of sevoflurane, an inhalation anaesthetic widely used in surgeries across the world.


Challenging the Gujarat High Court's February 5 order that refused to stay the closure, the pharma company said the order was "legally unsustainable" as it failed to account for the gross violation of the principles of natural justice. "This is about alleged dumping of hazardous waste in the Narmada River. This is a source of water for the state and its people," a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said. "You avail of your remedies before the statutory authorities and the green tribunal."

Thereafter, Piramal Pharma would be at liberty to approach the tribunal, which has been directed by the top court to decide the matter, preferably within two weeks.

Piramal Pharma said the pollution control board issued it a show-cause notice on February 2, granting three business days for filing its response.