The National Green Tribunal today imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Agra Municipal Corporation for dumping of waste on the floodplains of river Yamuna in the city, noting that the civic body has failed to perform its duty and protect the environment.
"Counsel for Agra Nagar Nigam submits that it had dumped municipal solid waste on the floodplains of river Yamuna. He submits that the truck driver who had dumped the waste has been suspended.
"According to him, officers are responsible for the same and action will be taken against them as per law. It is clear that Agra Nagar Nigam has failed to perform its duty and protect the environment," a bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said while making it clear that the amount would be recovered from salaries of officers held responsible.
The green panel also directed Agra Nagar Nigam to ensure that no waste is dumped on the floodplains under any circumstance and ordered Agra Development Authority, Jal Nigam, state pollution control board and all concerned to ensure no construction waste is dumped on the floodplains.
It asked all the builders to remove the construction and demolition waste near the floodplains and warned that they would be liable to pay compensation if they defied the orders.
The green panel also slammed the Irrigation department of Uttar Pradesh for dilly-dallying the demarcation of floodplains and not clearly stating the limits of floodplains in the map produced by it.
"The map is a mockery. You are playing fraud. In the last 10 years when was the flood maximum? Did your department pay compensation to those affected by the floods in Yamuna? We will not leave you, be rest assured," the bench said.
The Tribunal took the irrigation department to task for not clearly answering its questions and directed it to hold meeting with concerned departments.
"You give complete details. Name of places and villages, persons awarded flood compensation, if at all you did, and the height of floodplain as existed in 2010," the bench said while posting the matter for next hearing on September 10.
