Poor implementation of polluter pays principle and conflicts with the environment ministry risks the National Green Tribunal's effectiveness.
IN WHAT can be dubbed as one of the largest environmental fines in Indian history, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in early January asked Pune-based Goel Ganga Developers to pay a whopping Ì€ 195 crore towards the “restoration and restitution of environmental damage” caused due to its illegal construction activities and for contravening environmental laws. While the real estate giant has moved the Supreme Court challenging the NGT decision, this is not the first time the special tribunal, established over seven years ago for effective and expeditious disposal of environment-related cases, has found itself in the eye of the storm for taking polluters to task.
In 2016, NGT set a precedent by holding a private company responsible for damages precipitated by natural disaster. The tribunal determined that the June 2013 flood in Uttarakhand’s Srinagar town caused large losses to property and even life because the Alaknanda Hydro Power Corporation Ltd (AHPCL) had dumped a huge amount of muck on the riverbed while building the Srinagar dam. NGT thus asked AHPCL to pay ₹9.26 crore as compensation to those affected by the floods. But the gvk group, which owns AHPCLl, has challenged NGT's decision in the apex court.
In a similar high-profile verdict that year, the tribunal had imposed Ì€ 5 crore on the Art of Living Foundation, a UN non-profit known for stress relief courses, as restoration costs for damaging the fragile ecosystem of Yamuna floodplains during its three-day World Culture Festival. The foundation’s head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has since mocked the NGT , scoffed at it in a Facebook post and moved the Supreme Court, saying that NGT’s verdict is unjust.
Denne historien er fra April 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra April 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara