Need to impose environmentcompensation stressed

Local bodies asked to comply with Solid Waste Management Rules

The need to impose environment compensation on local bodies found violating the norms under the Environment Act and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 was stressed at a meeting convened by the State Pollution Control Board here on Tuesday.

Justice K. Ramakrishnan of the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and A.V. Ramakrishna Pillai, chairman of the State Level Monitoring Committee appointed by the tribunal, spoke at the meeting, which was held to create awareness on the plan schemes initiated by the board and to ensure implementation of various legal and administrative rules to check pollution.

According to officials who attended the meeting, both Mr. Ramakrishnan and Mr. Ramakrishna Pillai reminded the need to comply with the provisions under the National Green Tribunal Act.

As per the Section 26 of the NGT Act, persons who fail to comply with any order or award or decision of the tribunal shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to ₹10 crore, or with both and in case the failure or contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend to ₹25,000 for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after conviction for the first such failure or contravention.

The provision also stated that a company that fails to comply with any order or award or a decision of the tribunal under this Act shall be punishable with fine which may extend to ₹25 crore, and in case the failure or contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend to ₹1 lakh for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after conviction for the first such failure or contravention.

The experts also asked the local bodies to comply with the various provisions under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The tribunal had issued several orders earlier reminding the civic bodies that they should ensure scientific management of the waste generated under their jurisdiction.

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