The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the treatment of sewage generated in villages, towns and cities and said untreated waste is discharged into rivers and rivulets polluting the very sources of water upon which the survival of the population and bio diversity depends. The top court asked the National Green Tribunal to ensure that an accountable mechanism is set up in Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the performance of the sewage treatment plants, providing for adequate funds for upgrade and maintenance as required and for attending to all…
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Rs 100 crore environmental compensation levied on Kochi Municipal Corporation by NGT
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Kochi Municipal Corporation in Kerala to pay an environmental compensation of Rs 100 crore for the damage to the environment because of its failure to handle solid waste. The NGT was hearing a matter in which it had initiated suo-motu (on its own) proceedings on the basis of a media report on an environmental emergency caused due to a fire at a dump site in Kochi. “We are conscious that an identical issue is being dealt with by the Kerala High Court,…
Read MoreWaste management at Char Dham grossly inadequate: NGT
An expert panel constituted by the National Green Tribunal to assess solid waste management on the trek routes of Char Dham shrines, Hemkund Sahib and Valley of Flowers , has said in its report that the infrastructure for waste management at the sites is “grossly inadequate”. “Mule faeces, solid waste and plastic waste can be seen littered around and toilets with soak pits are filled with garbage. The number of public toilets is also far less than the number of pilgrims arriving,” the report’s findings noted. According to the report,…
Read MoreNGT directs NMCG to monitor the progress of implementation of the action plan of the Namami Gange project
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to monitor the progress of implementation of the action plan in accordance with the Namami Gange project. Tribunal direction came on Monday while hearing an application against the pollution (/topic/pollution) of rivers Varuna and Assi in Varanasi by the discharge of untreated sewage and unauthorized constructions. The case set out in the application is that the above rivers are tributaries of river Ganga and cleaning of river Ganga cannot be…
Read MoreNGT can take up environmental issues on its own: Supreme Court
In a landmark judgment that comes as a shot in the arm for legitimate environmental causes, the Supreme Court said the National Green Tribunal does have suo moto powers and can take up environmental issues on its own. The order came even as the Union government said NGT does not have such powers. “The National Green Tribunal cannot afford to remain a mute spectator when no one knocks on its door,” the court said on Thursday while passing an order that vests suo moto powers to the body created under…
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