Tag: NGT

NGT Mizoram

NGT Levies Compensation Of Rs 50 Cr On Mizoram

By LokMarg

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has levied Environmental Compensation of Rs 50 crores on the state of Mizoram for allegedly not managing solid as well as liquid waste management causing harm to the environment.

The Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel while passing an order on December 8, 2022, said, “We hope in the light of interaction with the Chief Secretary, the State of Mizoram will take further measures in the matter by an innovative approach and stringent monitoring, ensuring that gaps in solid and liquid waste generation and treatment are bridged at the earliest, shortening the proposed timelines, adopting alternative/interim measures to the extent and wherever found viable.”
Restoration plans need to be executed at the earliest simultaneously in all districts/cities/ towns/ villages in a time-bound manner without further delay. Compliance is ensured by Chief Secretary.

Tribunal also said that considering the statement the gap in sewage generation and treatment is 23.94 MLD and there is a gap in solid waste management, 60,000 MT legacy waste. The estimated environmental compensation comes to around Rs 50 crores.

It was also confirmed during the interaction with Chief Secretary that the amount of Rs 50 crores readily available with the State can be ringfenced for utilising exclusively for sewage and solid waste management, noted the Tribunal.

The Tribunal also said that the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, GoI in coordination with DG, MES, DG, Defence Estates and other concerned authorities might ensure that necessary measures are taken for waste management by adequate monitoring in the interest of the environment and public health. They may also coordinate with ULBs concerned. Accordingly, the State may interact with Defence organizations to share work experience.

We have suggested a change in approach in realizing that remedial action cannot wait for an indefinite period nor loose-ended timelines without accountability can be a solution. The responsibility of the State is to have a comprehensive time-bound plan with tied-up resources to control pollution which is its absolute liability. If there is a deficit in budgetary allocations, it is for the State alone to have suitable planning by reducing costs or augmenting resources.

The issues of solid as well as liquid waste management are being monitored by the Tribunal as per orders of the Supreme Court order dated 02.09.2014 with regard to solid waste management and order dated 22.02.2017, with regard to liquid waste management. Other related issues include pollution of 351 river stretches, 124 non-attainment cities in terms of air quality, 100 polluted industrial clusters, illegal sand mining etc. which have also been dealt with earlier but we propose to limit the proceedings in the present matter to two issues of solid waste and sewage management, said the order.

Tribunal also noted that in view of continuing non-compliance, vide order dated 16.01.2019, the Tribunal directed the personal presence of Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs for interaction to ensure compliance. The Tribunal held that large-scale non-compliance with environmental norms was resulting in deaths and diseases and irreversible damage to the environment, without accountability for such failures.

Though violation of the Rules as well as orders of this Tribunal is a criminal offence, still there was a rampant violation by State authorities practically with no accountability which unhappy situation was required to be remedied by the involvement of the highest functionaries of the State in the interest of public health and to uphold rule of law. (ANI)

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stubble burning in Haryana

Stubble Burning In Haryana Not Even 10% Of Punjab’s: Khattar

By LokMarg

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has claimed that the cases of stubble burning in Haryana are not even 10 percent of that in Punjab.

“There are not even 10 percent cases of stubble burning in Haryana as compared to Punjab. Last year there were 2,561 incidents of stubble burning, whereas it has decreased to 1,925 this year while 13,873 incidents have taken place in Punjab this year,” Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday.
He further added that they have also appealed to Punjab regarding stubble burning and the pollution it causes.

“NGT has given directions to Punjab. We have also appealed (to them) that the pollution will not remain in one state but will spread to many states,” he said.

“We created awareness among the farmers and also took legal action besides imposing penalties and registering FIRs. Incidents of stubble burning have reduced significantly in Haryana as compared to Punjab,” Haryana CM said.

Notably, Stubble burning had turned worse across Punjab, giving no hope of improvement in Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) as the capital gasps for clean air.

Increasing incidents of stubble burning in Punjab this year have become a matter of serious concern with the Union Environment Ministry pointing out that the AQI is likely to sharply deteriorate as only about 45-50 percent of sown area in the state had been harvested till October 24.

Sources in the Environment Ministry had told ANI that the contribution of stubble burning to the adverse air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region has been increasing sharply and is about 18-20 percent currently with the trend only likely to increase further.

As per the Standard Protocol developed by ISRO for Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), for the period September 15, 2022, to October 26, 2022, total paddy residue burning events reported in Punjab were 7,036 compared to 6,463 for the same period during the last year.

CAQM further stated that about 70 percent of farm fires during the current paddy harvesting season were reported only from six districts namely Amritsar, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Patiala, and Tarn Taran.

These districts account for 4,899 cases against a total of 7,036 incidents in Punjab. These traditional six hotspot districts also accounted for about 65 percent of the total burning incidents during the last year for the same period. Out of a total of 7,036 reported cases, 4,315 stubble-burning incidences were reported during the last six days alone i.e., about 61 percent.

As per the Standard ISRO Protocol, for the period of September 15 – October 28 this year, a total of 10,214 paddy residue burning events have been reported in Punjab compared to 7,648 for the same period during the last year, which is a significant increase of about 33.5 percent.

Out of the total 10,214 reported cases, 7,100 stubble-burning incidents were reported in the last 7 days alone which is about 69 percent, added the official. (ANI)

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