Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The High Court of Tripura September 21, 2022, dismissed a petition asking for the issuance of a writ by the central government for the protection of exotic animals.
The petitioner had relied upon news articles to demonstrate that there was a proliferation of trade in exotic wildlife species in Tripura.
The respondents included the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; the chief wild life warden and principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife); the director general of the Department of Revenue Intelligence and the chairman of the Custom and GST Board.
The bench of Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura Indrajit Mahanty, however, said the court could neither legislate nor direct the government to legislate in a particular manner.
The Supreme Court has asked the Solicitor General to obtain instructions from the Centre regarding its present stand on the curative petition filed by it in 2010.
The petition had sought additional compensation for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims from Union Carbide Corporation. The apex court deferred the matter to October 11, 2022.
A committee constituted by the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary had finalised Rs 11.583 per kilogram as the rate for the scientific and safe disposal of chromium waste dumped at Khanchandpur, Rania, Kanpur (Rural) through existing nearby TSDFs (Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities).
The UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) September 21, 2022, that the total cost for the disposal of approximately 85,008 million tonnes (MT) of chromium waste dumped at Khanchandpur was estimated as approximately Rs 984,647,664.
The UPPCB had requested the state government to provide funds for the work in a letter dated September 13. The government had released Rs 48.44 crore in the dedicated escrow account operated by the district magistrate of Kanpur (Rural) accordingly.
The lifting, treatment and scientific disposal of chromium waste was slated to begin from October 15. This was to avoid the leaching of chromium. At present, the entire area was covered by polythene sheets.
The chromium dumps at Rania have been in existence since 1976 and have resulted in contamination of groundwater, depriving the inhabitants of access to drinking water.
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