The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board has ordered the closure of Carlsberg India’s manufacturing facility in Alwar and revoked its consent to operate after a regulatory inspection recorded particulate matter emissions nearly eight times above the prescribed limit. The action comes as the Danish brewer prepares for a proposed initial public offering of its Indian subsidiary.
According to a copy of the RSPCB order accessed by The Hindu BusinessLine, particulate matter concentration at the facility was recorded at 633 mg/Nm³ in samples collected during a Central Pollution Control Board inspection in July 2026. The prescribed limit cited in the order is 80 mg/Nm³.
The order also recorded that the plant transmitted emissions-monitoring data to the CPCB’s Online Data Acquisition and Management System portal at an availability rate of 35.12 per cent. This was below the mandatory threshold of 85 per cent under CPCB guidelines for continuous emissions monitoring systems.
RSPCB had granted the Alwar facility consent to operate in April 2024, valid until October 31, 2028. However, the Board issued a show-cause notice in August 2025 proposing revocation of the consent over particulate matter emissions exceeding the permitted limit and alleged manipulation of online continuous emissions-monitoring data.
The regulatory record cited in the order also notes that the CPCB issued directions to the facility in March 2026 concerning stack-emission monitoring infrastructure. In September, the plant was identified among 648 industrial units whose OCEMS data availability was below 85 per cent during the period from September 17 to 23. The CPCB subsequently directed State Pollution Control Boards and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to take immediate closure and sealing action against the identified units.
Under the latest RSPCB order, the Alwar facility must shut down, while the local electricity distribution company has been directed to disconnect its power supply. The Board has also instructed its regional office to enforce the closure order, including sealing relevant manufacturing operations and equipment.
Carlsberg India’s website says the company operates seven owned breweries in Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana, along with eight co-manufacturers. The company established its second brewery in Alwar in March 2008. The closure order therefore affects one unit within a wider manufacturing network, although the supplied report does not establish the effect on production volumes or market supply.
The regulatory action arrives during the company’s preparations for a proposed India IPO. Carlsberg India confidentially filed a draft prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India in July 2026, seeking to raise up to $700 million, or approximately ₹6,600 crore. The proposed offering is expected to be an offer for sale, with the proceeds accruing to the parent company. SEBI approved the confidential pre-filing on October 1.
Harish Bijoor, a business and brand-strategy expert, told The Hindu BusinessLine that a negative order at a time when the company is close to an IPO could affect retail investors, while institutional investors may assess the issue as manageable. Carlsberg India had not responded to the publication’s detailed questionnaire seeking clarification by the time of publication.
The RSPCB’s directions require the facility to remain closed, with enforcement and sealing action to be overseen by the Board’s regional office.
