Earlier, another division bench of the High Court had dismissed a similar plea seeking action against the industries which release hazardous effluents into rivers. (Express photo/File)
Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to the Centre and Punjab government on a plea seeking action against the Chada Sugar Mills for the recent molasses spillage into the Beas river. The division bench of Justices Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Anupinder Singh Grewal has sought response from authorities by July 12 on the Public Interest Litigation filed by a local lawyers’ group.
The lawyers group in their plea told the High Court that the discharge of molasses into the Beas river has caused extensive damage to the flora and fauna but the amount on compensation fixed on the Sugar mill is not in accordance with the large scale damage caused to the environment.
“Appropriate proceedings have not been initiated against the industry in question on the principle that the ‘Polluter Pays’, which aspect has not been properly kept in mind,” the lawyers group said in the plea. The Punjab Pollution Control Board had last month directed the sugar mill to pay Rs five crore as the environmental compensation and also initiated criminal proceedings against it.
Earlier, another division bench of the High Court had dismissed a similar plea seeking action against the industries which release hazardous effluents into rivers. The plea filed by a Panchkula lawyer had been dismissed on technical grounds.