Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the constitution of a joint committee to look into the stone quarry collapse incident in Mizoram that lead to the death of 12 workers. The incident happened November 14, 2022.
“We express our regret that adequate sensitivity is not shown by the authorities in dealing with human tragedy of such magnitude,” the tribunal added.
The joint committee should file a report on the same, focusing on the cause of the incident, the extent of damage, the persons responsible and remedial and preventive measures, the NGT ordered November 28, 2022.
In the meantime, the Government of Mizoram should ensure the disbursement of compensation to the victims and take action against the project proponent, the tribunal headed by Adarsh Kumar Goel added.
In case of failure to abide by the same, the “state itself will be liable for payment,” the NGT added.
Stringent action should be taken for “violating environment and safety norms,” the tribunal said.
Air pollution from the transportation of coal from Odisha’s Kulda coal mine needs to be tackled at the earliest, said a joint committee in its report submitted to the NGT.
The tribunal constituted the committee in March this year in response to a media report flagging violation of environmental norms by Kulda Coal Mine and Chhattisgarh’s Tamnar Thermal Plant.
The committee convened a joint meeting under the chairmanship of the chief secretary, Odisha.
Pollution from the transportation of coal from the mine might have affected people’s health. Thus they are entitled to compensation from the project proponent, Mahanadi Coalfields, the member secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board said during the meeting.
The road used for transporting coal from the Kulda coal mine in Odisha to Tamnar thermal power plant in Chhattisgarh must be repaired and renovated at the earliest, emphasised the chief secretary of Odisha.
The official asked the district magistrate of Sundargarh to find an alternate road so that road can be repaired without any hindrances.
The district magistrate said he has already identified an alternative road, but that needs maintenance to make it motorable. Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd assured to take the required actions to make the alternate road motorable at the earliest.
The chief secretaries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh agreed on forming a joint monitoring committee for both states, presided over by the concerned district magistrate.
Telangana State Pollution Control Board said it did not observe any clues of human excreta dumping into the Musi river during its inspections.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has enrolled 62 septic tank cleaning vehicles to collect septage and transfer it to the nearest faecal sludge treatment plant, the report added.
The vehicles used to clean sewage tanks are equipped with GPS tracking devices and are monitored, it added. The tribunal had directed the board to file a report while responding to a petition September 5.
Human excreta is collected from the septic tanks of the surrounding residences in and around Bandlaguda Jagir Municipal Corporation and other gram panchayats. The same is being dumped into the Musi river at Tippu Khan Bridge, the petitioner had alleged.
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