States may see Rs 1 crore a month green fine

NEW DELHI: States could be liable to pay up to Rs 1 crore a month as compensation for failing to meet environment standards while chief secretaries of all states are to present compliance reports on implementation of solid waste and plastic disposal, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said.

“We make it clear that the rule of law has to be upheld. This tribunal has laid down that the state itself is liable to pay compensation for its failure to perform duties in upholding environmental norms,” the court said.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the NGT said the ‘polluter pays’ principle applied to the state as well when it failed in its duty to uphold environmental norms. “Compensation for damage to the environment will be payable by each state or UT at the rate of Rs 1 crore for priority I and II stretches (of rivers),” the tribunal said.

The decision to impose fines on an “incremental scale” will be taken after considering the reports submitted by the chief secretaries. They have been called individually between March 1 and May 2. It has also been made clear that they should not duck the appointed date and send a representative as the court said it expected to hear directly from the seniormost officials of all states and UTs.

The NGT said it wanted to be briefed on the status of implementation of solid waste management rules and biomedical waste management, status of committees constituted on orders of the tribunal and action plans devised by the Central Pollution Control Board. The tribunal took note of the TOI report on the national clean air programme timelines on environmental targets for 102 cities.

The status of plans to tackle polluted industrial clusters, funds collected from erring industries and identification and development of model cities and towns are other aspects the tribunal is keen to look into. “It is made clear that chief secretaries may not delegate the above function and the requirement to appear before the tribunal to anyone else,” the NGT said.

States will also display on their websites as well as those of the state pollution control boards and committees information on progress on all listed issues which are in keeping with earlier orders of the court.

States have been asked to ensure that all drains, big or small, are tapped with appropriate measures so that no municipal solid waste or plastics are allowed to reach river systems, lakes, water bodies, ponds, marsh lands and wetlands.