In relation to compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and other environmental issues, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday ordered the State of Punjab to pay 2,180 crores as environmental compensation.
There are still gaps in waste management in the State 48 years after the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed and the statutory deadlines under the Solid Waste Management Rules have passed, according to a bench led by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Justice Sudhir Agarwal, and expert member Prof. Senthil Vel.
“Are state officials faced with insurmountable obstacles or a lack of motivation? It’s challenging for us to accept the first. In our opinion, the problem that requires immediate correction is caused by a lack of strong governance and resolve “NGT said.
The decision was made in accordance with the Supreme Court’s instructions in the cases of Paryavaran Suraksha v. Union of India and Almitra H. Patel, which required the tribunal to oversee the application of solid and liquid waste management regulations.
Realising that corrective action cannot wait indefinitely, the tribunal stated that a change in strategy was required.
“Realizing that corrective action cannot be put off indefinitely as the Administration has indicated, we have urged a shift in strategy. The Hon’ble Supreme Court’s instructions specify the financial sources. The State is accountable for having a comprehensive strategy to reduce pollution, which is its only obligation and is not understood “it said.
It also indicated that it was imperative to prioritise adhering to environmental standards for waste management and that it was past time for the government to take responsibility for additional internal monitoring.
Punjab Fined
The NGT assessed the State a fine of 2,000 crores after determining that the State needed to be held responsible for violations that resulted in the discharge of 1000 MLD of sewage per day (MLD). The fine was set at 180 crores for failing to manage solid waste, bringing the total penalties to 2,180 crores.
The tribunal ordered the State to deposit 2080 crores in a ring-fenced account to be operated in accordance with the Chief Secretary’s instructions and used for restoration measures since it had already fined the State 100 crores for failing to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage and to remediate solid waste.
Punjab is the seventh state to get a punishment from the NGT in recent weeks for inappropriate trash management, after West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Read More: Rising Plastic Waste Management- Business Approach.
