NGT directs CPCB to prepare policy for incremental fine on polluting industries

The National Green Tribunal has said the recovery of penalty from polluting industries for damaging the environment must be incremental and asked the Central Pollution Control Board to prepare a policy in this regard. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said policy in this regard be placed online by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and CPCB.

"The principle of recovery of compensation for damage to the environment must be incremental for subsequent defaults to the extent of double the amount which is imposed in the first instance," the bench said. It said the "polluter pays principle" applies also against officials who fail to take action to curb pollution.

The tribunal said the penalty not yet recovered should be recovered now. The directions on Friday came when the NGT was perusing a report filed by DPCC about the pollution caused by industries in Narela and Bawana areas.

In its report, DPCC told the tribunal that half of the total of 3,376 plots in Narela industrial area was occupied by plastic manufacturing and recycling plants. The remaining are occupied by footwear industries, timber deposits etc. "Signboards are not displayed properly by 90 per cent units. Open dumping of household waste, cables, construction, footwear cutting edge, plastic waste lying in vacant plots and open burning of plastic waste. Drains are fully choked by waste and open burning of waste in both areas," the report filed through advocate Kush Sharma said.

The NGT took note of the report and asked DPCC to submit another report after three months. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by city resident Arun Kumar who has alleged that plastic industries in Narela and Bawana are causing pollution. He said in the plea that they are not maintaining pollution and waste management norms.

(With inputs from agencies.)