SHILLONG, June 10: The High Court of Meghalaya on Tuesday said it will not take a headache any longer pertaining to a PIL in connection with an indiscriminate construction which resulted in unloading of debris into a river.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, said it went through the PIL and the records of the case before the National Green Tribunal principal bench, New Delhi.
By the court’s order dated 24th March, 2025, the bench had observed that two parallel proceedings could not go on before this court and the tribunal, and directed the petitioner, Khroo L Pariat, to file an affidavit by April 4, 2025 explaining the situation.
“On the basis of the said affidavit, learned counsel representing the petitioner drew our attention to his client’s undated letter to the Chief Justice containing the cause of action on which this PIL was started suo motu by this Court. He showed us the foot of the letter where it was stated that a copy was being forwarded to the Chairman, National Green Tribunal, New Delhi. He submitted and in our opinion, most correctly that the grievance was addressed to the High Court and only information thereof was sent to the Tribunal,” the bench said in an order.
“…it appears from the recent records after our order dated 24th March, 2025 that these submissions which are made on behalf of the petitioner before us now were not made before the Tribunal and the Tribunal is proceeding with the matter. The petitioner is continuing not to appear before the Tribunal. The public respondents are subjecting them to the jurisdiction of the Tribunal,” the bench further said.
Considering the circumstances, the bench was of the view that it will not take this headache any longer and disposed of the PIL, vacating “all interim orders passed therein with the exception that the Amicus Curiae appointed by us, who has done substantial work and has only been paid partly, shall be paid further and final remuneration of Rs 75,000 in the same manner he was paid the initial remuneration.”
