Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The treatment system of public sector undertaking Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) is not adequate enough to comply with effluent discharge standards and requires upgradation, a report filed on behalf of the Kerala government has said.
The storm water sample from KMML shows acidic pH and presence of iron, manganese and vanadium. This implies that the land inside its plant is either polluted or there is a possibility of leakage or spillage of iron oxide sludge into nearby area including Vattakayal (Kayamkulam and Pullikkal wetland complex), the report added.
Padmakumar, a resident of Kollam district, had sent an application to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) alleging that KMML had been polluting the land and water bodies of nearby villages for about 30 years by discharging acid water.
The NGT, in an order dated August 29, 2022, constituted a joint committee to file a factual and action taken report and to send the copies of the report to the project proponent and statutory authorities.
The committee conducted site inspection and collected samples for analysis. The site visit analysis report said the stagnant water samples collected from the nearby areas of industry show acidic pH and presence of heavy metals. “It is understood that the nearby area is polluted and the well water is not fit for drinking purpose,” it noted.
The NGT directed a joint committee to look into a complaint that there are several stone crushers in Odisha’s Balasore district, which are functioning by flouting environmental laws and norms.
The complaint added that the stone crushers have been illegally set up on grazing land as well as in eco sensitive zones and elephant corridors in Balasore.
The NGT directed the committee to look into the complaint, visit the site, collect relevant information and submit a factual and action taken, if any, report within two months. The district magistrate of Balasore would be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.
The NGT March 3, 2023, directed a joint committee to look into the complaint of Mangalore Smart City Corporation Limited proposing to cut several trees in the process of the widening of the road from Nandigudda to Marnimakatte. It was alleged that no consent has yet been given by the forest authorities.
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