SHILLONG, May 11: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, on Wednesday said the affidavit filed by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) with the Tribunal indicates that the Board is only giving time to the violators of law to cover up their tracks due to which inspection were not conducted promptly.
Hearing a petition filed by Pynbait Sutnga, Justice Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Saibal Gupta said that the MSPCB affidavit does not show environmental compensation to have been computed against the violators of environmental norms who are operating the coke plants.
According to the NGT, the affidavit also shows that two coke plants – M/s Jaintia Coke Industries and M/s Vivan Associate – could not be inspected and therefore another day has been fixed.
“With regard to the five other coke units also it is stated that inspection could not be carried out since complaints filed against them were based on violation of Consent to Establish (CTE) and not violation of Consent to Operate (CTO),” the NGT stated.
According to the Tribunal, the coke plants were found to have initiated constructions/minor constructions like leveling of the land etc., prior to obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE).
“Be that as it may, operating coke plants without environmental clearance are all violations of environmental norms under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,” the NGT stated, while granting the MSPCB two weeks for filing a fresh affidavit indicating the action that has been taken against the illegal coke plants.
“If the affidavit is not filed by May 27, the Member Secretary of the MPSCB shall be present physically in court on the next date of listing with his personal affidavit,” the NGT order added.
