COIMBATORE: A draft report prepared by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board with The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi on the estimation of the environmental degradation and estimated cost for restoration of degraded ecosystem in Thadagam Valley by brick kilns has estimated the ‘compensation’, to be paid by the brick kilns, between Rs 4.39 lakhs to Rs 12.28 crores for each of the units.
TNPCB has communicated the draft report to all brick kiln units and their associations on December 3, as per the directions of the Madras High Court. Coimbatore collector issued orders to seal and disconnect the power supply to 185 illegally operated brick kiln units across five villages in the Thadagam Valley on March 17, 2021. Accordingly, all the 185 brick kiln units were closed and sealed by a joint committee comprising officials from the revenue department, mines department, TNPCB and Tangedco.
Following this, the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, Chennai, directed the Department of Mining and Geology and TNPCB to levy environmental compensation for the environmental degradation occurred due to the illegal operation of the brick kiln units. TNPCB assessed the compensation and issued directions to all 185 brick kiln units to remit approximately Rs 32 lakhs to each unit.
Aggrieved by the above directions, the brick kiln owners challenged the compensation assessment in the HC and sought for its quashing. The HC stayed the levy of TNPCB environmental compensation and directed to carry out an assessment as per CPCB guidelines and the personal hearing shall be conducted with individual brick kiln owners to get their responses before finalising the report.
In line with this, based on CPCB suggestions, TNPCB engaged The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, to assess the levy for the brick kiln units located in Thadagam Valley, Coimbatore as per the HC order. TERI submitted a draft report estimating the compensation ranging from Rs 4.39 lakh to Rs 12.28 crore to each of the units. The report covers the cost of environmental degradation and the estimated cost of restoring degraded ecosystems.