Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Preponing of paddy sowing
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 7, 2019 disposed of an application filed by Jai Gopal Dhiman, who had said a report calling for preponing of the sowing date of paddy from June 20 to June 13 would deplete groundwater.
The report had been submitted by a four-member Committee comprising one person from the Central Pollution Control Board and Punjab State Pollution Control Board each as well as one scientist named by the Punjab and Haryana Agriculture Universities.
The report had stated that the availability of short duration rice varieties provided the means for availing water saving benefits of transportation from June 20 onwards and also resolving the straw burning issue.
Felling of mangrove trees in Sundarbans
The NGT on November 6 directed the district forest officer, Alipore (South 24 Paraganas) and Officer-in-Charge, Jharkhali police station to ensure that illegal felling of mangrove trees does not happen and and strict vigilance is maintained by the beat officer of the West Bengal Department of Forests.
The Refugee & Rehabilitation Department, West Bengal, the owner of the area in question has also been directed to ensure that such incidents do not take place considering that the Sundarbans is a highly eco-sensitive area.
The order was passed by the tribunal on the complaint of felling of mangrove trees on the two banks of Kanmari natural canal, Jharkhali, South 24-Parganas Division, West Bengal.
Brick fields in Purulia
The NGT on November 6 directed the West Bengal Pollution Control Board to recover environmental compensation from all illegal brick field operating in Purulia district and submit a status report.
“All the brick fields referred to in the application and the reports filed by the regulatory authorities were not compliant as none of them possessed valid Environmental Clearance or Consent to Operate. Those are being obtained after the complaint had been lodged the process of which is still continuing,” the order said.
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