Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in Supreme Court, high courts & National Green Tribunal
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), taking suo motu cognisance on the basis of a news item on illegal sand mining in Goa, directed notices to be issued to the authorities. The Goa State Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, through regional officer (SZ), Goa and collector and district magistrate, South Goa were directed to file their reply a week before the date of hearing, July 5, 2024.
Further, the principal bench of NGT directed the matter to be transferred to the Western Zonal Bench, Pune.
The story published in the newspaper O Heraldo February 13, 2024 revealed that rampant illegal sand mining was taking place in various parts of Goa along the riverbeds, severely impacting Goa’s marine ecosystem.
As per the report, sand mining was taking place in the rivers through the boats and even in interior forest areas like Mhadei. Further, such illegal sand mining was also in progress in Ponda, Pernem, Chandor and Rachol talukas near the ferry point.
In the last two years, the state didn’t get any share of the revenue from the sand extracted from Goa rivers, according to the news report. The illegally mined sand is, allegedly, being used in official projects like Atal Setu, Zuari Bridge and in the real estate projects, it added.
NGT directed the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to file a detailed report disclosing complete details of quantity and source of water being used in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where matches of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 have been scheduled, and also the quality of treated water supplied.
NGT was hearing the case filed suo motu on the basis of story Bengaluru stadium to get treated water supply for IPL matches amid crisis published in news website India Today March 21, 2024.
The news report noted that BWSSB, on the request of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), permitted supply of treated water to the stadium from the Cubbon Park Wastewater Treatment Plant.
NGT April 1, 2024 directed impleading the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board; BWSSB, deputy commissioner and district magistrate, Bengaluru and KSCA into the matter. They have been ordered to file responses before May 2, 2024.
In the matter of encroachment and illegal construction on a pukur (water body) in Kazipura village, Barasat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, NGT directed the constitution of a fact-finding committee to look into the matter. The committee comprising senior scientist, West Bengal Pollution Control Board; district magistrate, North 24 Parganas and senior officer from Barasat Municipality will visit the site and submit its report within four weeks.
It was alleged that unknown persons are also filling up the belt of the pond and all wastewater is being channelled / drained into the pond. These activities have acutely polluted the waterbody and local residents are unable to use it for any purpose, even pisciculture, according to the application.
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