Page 7 - National Green Tribunal

NGT forms panel to check industries dumping hazardous waste in Ganga Canal

The NGT has formed a committee to look into a plea against industrial units at Bhopa Thana in UP's Muzaffarnagar allegedly dumping hazardous waste and coal ash on the banks of the Ganga Canal

NGT directs Telangana govt to pay Rs 3,800 cr for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a penalty of Rs 3,800 crore on the Telangana government for its failure to treat solid and liquid waste. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said huge gaps exist in the management of solid and liquid waste in the southern state. The bench, also comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, said the liability of the state for past violations had to be quantified on the "polluter pays" principle, to be utilised for the restoration of the environment. Providing clean air, water, hygiene and environment have to be the top priorities for good governance, the bench said, adding that the state could not avoid its constitutional responsibility of providing a pollution-free environment. Calculating the total environmental compensation to be paid by Telangana, the bench said the amount for the gap in the treatment of liquid waste or sewage is Rs 3,648 crore, while the compensation for the state's .

NGT red flags football ground, building activity in Periyar Tiger Reserve

The NGT has directed the Centre and Kerala government to file a compliance report within 6 months on the construction of a mega car parking facility and a football ground inside Periyar Tiger Reserve

NGT stalls Odisha govt's Bali Jatra riverfront project in Cuttack

The National Green Tribunal has imposed restrictions on the Odisha government's ambitious Bali Jatra project, for which the Cuttack district administration had reclaimed an area of around 426 acres of the Mahanadi riverbed, environmentalists said on Saturday. As part of the Bali Jatra riverfront or the Barfi project, the district administration had reclaimed the floodplain zone of the river near Jobra barrage in Cuttack city by filling sand and garbage, they claimed. According to them, the move allegedly "reduced the water retaining capacity of the barrage and posed a threat of inundation to at least 38 nearby villages". A five-member special bench, headed by chairperson Justice A K Goel, said it was difficult to accept the state government's plan for construction on the reclaimed land, which has been clearly established to be part of the floodplain zone. "There's the clear anticipated danger of flooding. We're guided by precautionary principle under Section 20 of the NGT Act," the

NGT slaps over Rs 2,000 crore fine on Punjab for failure to treat waste

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a penalty of over Rs 2,000 crore on the Punjab government for its failure to treat solid and liquid waste, leading to a huge gap in their generation and treatment. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said corrective action cannot wait for an indefinite period and health issues be deferred for long. Responsibility of the State is to have a comprehensive plan to control pollution which is its absolute liability, which is not being understood. If there is deficit in budgetary allocations, it is for the state and the state alone to have suitable planning by reducing cost or augmenting resources, the bench said. It said that the compliance of environmental norms on the subject of waste management has to be high on priority. According to the NGT, the total compensation is rounded off at Rs 2,180 crore. Out of this, Punjab government has already deposited with the tribunal Rs 100 croe for its failure to prevent discharge of untreate

NGT slaps UP govt Rs 120 cr fine for river pollution, waste mismanagement

The principal bench of NGT headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted the liability of the state for discharge of 55 MLD sewage into rivers at Gorakhpur at Rs 110 crores.

NGT seeks suggestions from Centre, others on rainwater blockage on roads

The green court, in the recently passed order said: "This may require policy, programs, planning, implementation and close monitoring by the administrative authorities

NGT cracks the whip to prevent ecological damage to TN's Western Ghat

The National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to pass appropriate orders in a matter related to unauthorised brick kilns exploiting the Western Ghat region leading to ecological damage. On its own, the tribunal had initiated action on the issue. Since there was no provision to regulate the activities of such units and to prevent ecological damage, the NGT-SZ had taken congnizance based on a Tamil daily's reportage on April 14, 2021. Subsequently, proceedings were initiated by the state Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as well as the mining authorities. Following a hearing on the matter, in its order on Tuesday, the tribunal referred to the Board's report on determination of compensation. Environmental compensation was fixed for the brick kiln units in five specific villages as per a Central Pollution Control Board formula. It was to recover compensation for the damages caused to the environment by the brick kiln units under the "Pol

NGT directs Maharashtra govt to pay Rs 12k cr for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Maharashtra government to pay Rs 12,000 crore as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste. A bench headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel held that the compensation under Section 15 of the NGT Act was necessary to "remedy" the continuing damage to the environment caused due to the shortcomings in waste management. The bench, also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Senthil Vel passed the order pursuant to the Supreme Court directions requiring the tribunal to monitor enforcement of solid and liquid waste management norms. The bench said the decision became necessary to "remedy the continuing damage to the environment". It said that fixing liability was "necessary for restoration". "Without fixing quantified liability necessary for restoration, mere passing of orders has not shown any tangible results in the last eight years (for solid waste management) and five years (fo

NGT dismisses plea of Goa's Curlies nightclub challenging demolition

NGT has upheld the GCZMA order to demolish the alleged illegal structure of Curlies, run by Edwin Nunes -- arrested in the Phogat case

NGT imposes environmental compensation of Rs 3,500 cr on West Bengal govt

The National Green Tribunal has imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 3,500 crore on West Bengal for its failure in the treatment of solid and liquid waste. The green bench observed there was not much initiative by the West Bengal government in prioritising solid and sewage treatment plants in urban areas. The bench, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said remedial measures must be taken within six months. The order said that for failure in liquid waste management processing, "liability of the state is to pay compensation of Rs 2,980 crores, rounded off to Rs 3,000 crore in view of continuing damage." For failure to process solid waste, the compensation to be paid is Rs 500 crore, the NGT said. "Final amount of compensation under the two heads (solid and liquid waste) is assessed at Rs 3500 crore which may be deposited by the state of West Bengal in a separate ring-fenced account within two months," according to the September 1 order. The chief secretary may personally mo

NGT slaps Rs 3,500 cr penalty on WB govt for huge gap in waste management

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a penalty of Rs 3,500 crore on the West Bengal government for the huge gap in solid and liquid waste generation and treatment. The green panel said the state government does not appear to be prioritising setting up of sewage and solid waste management facilities though according to the state's budget for 2022-2023, there is provision of Rs 12,818.99 crore on Urban Development and Municipal Affairs. Observing that health issues cannot be deferred to the long future, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said it is the constitutional responsibility of the state and the local bodies to provide a pollution free environment. The NGT noted that out of 2,758 million litres per day of sewage generation in urban areas and the treatment capacity of 1505.85 MLD (by setting up 44 STPs), only 1268 MLD is reported to be treated, leaving a huge gap of 1490 MLD. It said being part of the right to life, which is also a basic human right and absol

Over 7,000 trees illegally felled, damaged in Delhi in a year, shows data

Last year between January 1 and June 30, Delhi's forest department received over 4,100 complaints in the south forest division of trees being illegally damaged in violation of the provisions

NGT asks panel to monitor Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro-Electric project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a six-member monitoring cell, headed by the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary to oversee the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro-Electric project.

NGT orders PGCIL to pay the Gujarat fishermen for loss of livelihood

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) to pay Rs 30.25 lakh to 121 fishermen in Gujarat's Kutch district for the loss of livelihood

Yamuna pollution: NGT imposes Rs 100 cr on Noida authority, Rs 50 cr on DJB

The green panel noted that out of the 95 group housing societies in Noida, 56 have sewage treatment facility or partial treatment facility and untreated sewage directly goes into the drain.

NGT directs authorities to connect 93 Greater Noida villages with sewage

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said sanitation and proper hygiene in villages is imperative for clean environment and protection of public health.

Nearly 50% of untreated sewage still being discharged in Ganga: NGT

Untreated sewage and effluents continue to flow into the River Ganga even after decades of monitoring, the National Green Tribunal has said

SC to hear plea for cancellation of coal block allocation in Chhattisgarh

The bench took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan that the apex court had issued notice on the PIL in April 2019 and after that, it has not been listed for hearing.

NGT directs illegal coke plants in Meghalaya to pay fine of over Rs 4.75 cr

The 31 coke oven plants in East Jaintia Hills district were working without obtaining the required consent from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB).