HYDERABAD: In a sensational judgement, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a whopping Rs 3,800 crore penalty on the Telangana government for its failure to manage or treat solid and liquid waste.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice AK Goel observed that a huge gap existed in the management of solid and liquid waste in Telangana. The bench said that providing clean air, water, sanitation, and the environment should be the topmost priority for good governance. The State cannot escape the constitutional responsibility of providing a pollution-free environment, it added.
The bench, also comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmed, said the liability of the State for past violations had to be quantified on the “polluter pays” principle, to be utilised for the restoration of the environment.
Calculating the total environmental compensation to be paid by the government, in respect of the gap in the treatment of liquid waste/sewage of 1,824 MLD, compensation works out to Rs 3,648 crore. Un-remediated legacy waste is to the extent of 5.9 million MT. The total compensation under the head of the failure to scientifically manage solid waste works out to Rs 177 crore.
The total compensation comes to Rs 3,825 crore, or say Rs 3,800 crore, which may be deposited by the State of Telangana in a separate ring-fenced account within two months, to be operated as per directions of the Chief Secretary and utilised for restoration measures. It will be open to the State to plan to raise funds from generators/contributors to waste.
Award of the compensation has become necessary under Section 15 of the NGT Act to remedy the continuing damage to the environment and to comply with directions of the Supreme Court requiring this Tribunal to monitor the enforcement of norms for solid and liquid waste management. The restoration plans are to be immediately implemented across the state in a time-bound manner and if the violations continue, the liability to pay additional compensation would be considered, the bench said.
RESPONSIBILITY OF CHIEF SECY
The green panel said that it would be the responsibility of the Chief Secretary to comply with the orders and he would have to file a progress report every six months