The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal has directed a committee constituted by it to test the groundwater quality of the Kosasthalaiyar river on the Tamil Nadu side in a case relating to dumping of nearly 1,000 litres of expired milk sachets into the river near Tiruthani by a manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.
The directions were issued by the bench in the case taken up suo moto that dates back to January. During a hearing in March, the joint committee comprising the District Collector, Tiruvallur and members of the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Boards recommended imposing an environmental compensation of ₹1.85 lakh on the company.
But proceedings in the case could not be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and the committee wanted two more months for filing their report.
The bench directed the committee to incorporate the directions issued by the Tribunal in March that sought information from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board on imposition of the compensation, whether action was taken against the company for operating without a valid consent from the Board and whether the water quality had been affected in the river.
“The committee is also directed to test the groundwater quality of Kosathalayar river in Tamil Nadu area, though it was said to be dried at the time of inspection,” the bench said.