Governance

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (October 13, 2022)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal

 
By DTE Staff
Published: Thursday 13 October 2022
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Phalguni river pollution

Sewage dumped by hotels, industries and residential areas through cess pools at selected places along the banks of the Phalguni river in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district needs a proper investigation.

This is according to the report of the joint committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)  to look into an incident where the flow of industrial effluents in the river had resulted in a fish kill. The committee was appointed in compliance of the NGT’s April 29, 2022 order.

The report also noted that residential and commercial developments were located on either side of the river and there was no underground drainage in certain areas.

There were missing links even in sewered areas. Major and minor storm water drains were observed to be joining the river and plenty of organic load was observed at Kudroli, Sulthan Batteri, Dambel, Kulur Church and ELF Gas. Solid waste was found floating in the storm water drains which joined the river.

Upgradation of NH-200

The NGT admitted an appeal regarding violations of environmental norms during the upgradation of National Highway-200 in Odisha October 12, 2022.

The applicants had claimed that private contractors had transported minor minerals such as soil, morrum, road metals, stone, gravel, sand and stone crusher dust without any valid transit permit during the upgradation process.

The NGT said the matter required consideration and directed notice to be issued to the respondents:

Government of Odisha; Odisha State Pollution Control Board; State Environment Impact Assessment Authority Odisha; Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Integrated Regional Office, Bhubaneswar; National Highways Authority of India.

All the respondents have been directed to file their counter affidavits within three weeks.

Yamuna sand mining

The NGT directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority Uttar Pradesh and Tesmus Trading Pvt Ltd to file a reply within two months about a sand mining project on the Yamuna river area at Ghadiwa Majhigawan village in Khaga tehsil of Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district.

An applicant had contended that the requisite procedure for granting environmental clearance like preparation of district survey report, mining plan, environment impact assessment, environmental management plan and public hearing have not been followed.

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