MPCB serves notice to Mercedes-Benz for environmental norms violations at Chakan plant

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a show cause notice to Mercedes-Benz for alleged non-compliance with environmental regulations at its plant in Chakan, according to officials from the pollution watchdog.  

The notice, which HT has reviewed, was served on Friday, almost a month after MPCB Chairman Siddhesh Kadam visited the plant. The delay between the inspection and action had raised questions, particularly after the board deleted critical social media posts following the visit, prompting criticism from opposition leaders. 

The notice highlights multiple violations of environmental norms, focusing on the plant’s failure to comply with key pollution control measures. Among the issues flagged were the discharge of untreated and partially treated effluent, air emissions, and failure to upgrade equipment necessary for the proper treatment of waste. The MPCB has given the luxury car manufacturer 15 days to respond. Failure to comply will result in legal action under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. 

In a statement, Mercedes-Benz India acknowledged receiving the communication from MPCB. “We have received a communication from MPCB after three weeks, today. We will go through it and respond as requested and will cooperate with the authorities.” 

JS Salunkhe, regional officer at MPCB Pune, confirmed the issuance of the notice, stating it followed inspections of the plant on August 23 and September 4. “It has been observed that you have failed to comply with the conditions stipulated by the consent granted by the Board, thereby discharging untreated and partially treated effluent and air emissions into the environment, causing pollution,” said Salunkhe. 

One of the critical issues noted during the inspections was that clarifiers and centrifuge units of the plant’s Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) were not operational, officials from the MPCB said.  

Additionally, the required Multi Effect Evaporator (MEE) and Agitated Thin Film Dryer (ATFD) for treating Reverse Osmosis (RO) reject were not installed within the stipulated time.  

Opposition leaders had earlier criticized MPCB’s handling of the matter, questioning the transparency of the process. Following the August 23 inspection, the board had posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Mercedes-Benz’s Chakan plant was found to be “not adhering to the pollution control guidelines set.” These posts were later deleted, fueling speculation about the reasons behind the board’s decision to remove them. 

When contacted, MPCB Chairman Siddhesh Kadam appeared unaware of the notice. He said, “I am unaware of the notice being served to Mercedes-Benz and will check with the respective regional office.”