CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday ordered status quo on the proposed expansion of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd inside India’s oldest Vedanthangal bird sanctuary.
A petition was filed by MR Thiyagarajan from Meenava Thanthai Nala Sangam, challenging environmental clearance (EC) issued to Sun Pharma. The prayer was to quash and set aside the EC granted by the Union Environment Ministry.
The NGT bench, comprising of judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member K Satyagopal, after hearing from both parties, including the counsel representing Sun Pharma, ordered status quo until the next hearing scheduled on July 12.
Refuting the allegations of the petitioner, a spokesperson of Sun Pharma claimed, “As per the topographic map, Sun Pharma’s manufacturing site at Madhuranthagam is located 3.72 km away from the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary. It has been functioning at the location from 1992-93, before the bird sanctuary was declared by the TN government and adheres to all government guidelines.”
An official from the company said Sun Pharma had an effluent treatment facility, including Zero Liquid Discharge System, at the site. “There is no discharge of effluent outside the premises. The company operates and maintains the effluent treatment systems and air pollution control measures as per the directions of State and Central Pollution Control Boards.
As per a report submitted by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to NGT, the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is located upstream of Sun Pharma’s plant. Hence, there is no possibility of any effluent reaching the sanctuary/lake from the plant. The proposed expansion plan is within the boundary walls of the existing site and there is no increase in the plot area of the existing site,” the official told TNIE.