UDUPI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chennai has imposed a fine of Rs 52 crore on Adani-UPCL thermal power plant on charges of harming the environment in the 10-km radius of the plant which is located in the Yellur-Padubidri region. The bench issued the order based on a petition filed by Nandikur Janajagruti Samiti President, Balakrishna Shetty on Tuesday.
The NGT also issued directions for setting up a special committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner to inspect the damage caused by the Adani-UPCL plant to agricultural land in the vicinity, and submit a report. Based on the report, UPCL may have to compensate the farmers who suffered. NGT said if UPCL fails to pay the compensation to Central Pollution and Karnataka State Pollution Control Boards within three months, the Board should recover it from UPCL as per law.
An NGT bench headed by Justice K Ramakrishnan and comprising two expert members - Satyagopal Korlapati and Vijay Kulkarni - disposed of the original application filed by Janajagriti Samithi through its judgment dated May 31. In a major relief to the greens, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also been directed by the tribunal to undertake fresh studies on the impact on environment before permitting further expansion of the coal-based power plant.
The NGT order said 50 per cent of the compensation should be utilised to “evolve a scheme for providing necessary environmental infrastructure improvement, water supply, sewage, solid waste management, health facility and skill development programme.” NGT noted that UPCL had already deposited `5 crore as per an interim order and said the remaining amount should be paid within three months.