Govt cites tax evasion and waste violations by Andhra Paper Mills

Amaravati, 4 September – Deputy chief minister and environment minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday accused Andhra Paper Mills Private Limited of both environmental breaches and long‑standing tax evasion, ordering the Pollution Control Board to issue a court summons.

The minister instructed the board’s senior officials, the Advocate General, additional Advocate General and the government’s counsel to expedite all legal proceedings related to the mill’s infractions. He alleged that the company has not paid any taxes since 2016, accumulating outstanding dues of ₹21.34 crore owed to local bodies.

Measurements by the board indicate Rajahmundry generates roughly 70 million litres of liquid waste each day, with the paper mill alone discharging about 35 million litres. Laboratory analysis of effluent samples taken near the lagoon reported a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 36 mg/L – 20 % above the permissible limit – phosphate at 5.3 mg/L (6 % over) and sulfide at 3.4 mg/L (70 % over the central standards).

Such elevated pollutant loads reduce dissolved oxygen, threatening fish populations and the overall health of the Godavari ecosystem. Kalyan recalled that during a prior field visit he had advised the mill to adopt safeguards against groundwater contamination, advice that was not implemented.

Under the Pollution Control Board’s regulations, the authority can halt the mill’s operations, impose hefty fines, seize assets or revoke its operating licence. Although the coalition government had earlier issued a show‑cause notice to give the company a chance to remedy the situation, the mill failed to respond positively despite multiple meetings over the last three months.

Kalyan concluded by directing the board to serve the summons without delay and appealed to environmental activists and the wider community to support the “Clean Godavari‑Sacred Pushkaralu” drive, aimed at restoring the river’s purity.