Palwal, Sep 1 (IANS) A hot-mix plant, working for a Commonwealth Games infrastructure project, was sealed in this Haryana district Wednesday by the state pollution control board for allegedly violating the pollution norms, an official said.

Initially, when officials of the board visited the hot-mix plant, they were manhandled by the workers there. Therefore, the board officials had to seek police assistance while sealing the plant.

According to the officials, the hot mix plant, owned by the Amethi-based SNEC company, was established at Sarai Khatela village in Palwal district around four-five years back.

'This hot-mix plant is on the GT road, which is in violation with the Supreme Court's guidelines. We had complained about it and the authorities had sealed it. But the owners of this hot-mix plant are very close to Rahul Gandhi (Congress leader) and are working hand in glove with the government,' Naresh Kadyan, the complainant and an environmentalist, told IANS.

'They recently got a contract of road construction from the CWG. Therefore, two days back (Monday) they broke the seal and started their operations. Earlier also, they had broken the seal and the pollution control board remained a mute spectator to it,' Kadyan said.

Rajinder Sharma, sub-division officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, said: 'We have again sealed the hot-mix plant. Yes, we have got some complaints against them and are looking into them.'

However, the police are yet to register a case in this matter.