Supreme Court Orders Action on Palar River Pollution

The Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to compensate those affected by pollution in the Palar River due to tannery effluents. A committee headed by a retired judge will oversee damage assessment and remediation. Polluters are to cover costs, complying with the 'Polluter Pays' principle.

The Supreme Court has issued strict guidelines, including compensation to affected parties, to counteract severe pollution in Tamil Nadu's Palar River, caused by untreated tannery effluents.

A bench led by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan instructed the Tamil Nadu government to form a panel headed by a retired high court judge to evaluate and rectify the ecological damage.

The court emphasized irreversible harm to water bodies and agricultural lands, mandating compensation and directing cost recovery from guilty industries under the 'Polluter Pays' doctrine.

(With inputs from agencies.)