NGT Penalises States Over Environmental Issues

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed hefty penalties on several states for causing damage to the environment. The Tribunal has dealt with multiple environmental issues this year and has passed several orders. 

The NGT has sacked multiple states and UTs for non-compliance with Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSW) Rules 2016 among other environmental concerns. 

The Tribunal has directed the Maharashtra government to pay a fine of Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 3,800 crore by the Telangana government for not following the proper standard of solid and liquid waste management. 

Along with these states, Rajasthan has been ordered to pay Rs 3,000 crore, Karnataka Rs 2,900 crore, while Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have to pay Rs 2,180 crore and Rs 100 crore, respectively. 

Whereas, Nagaland is due to pay Rs 200 crore, Mizoram Rs 50 crore and Jammu and Kashmir are fined with Rs Rs 32 crore. 

As per reports, West Bengal has paid the total amount of Rs 3,500 crore of imposed fine. 

Earlier in April this year, media had reported the death of seven people in Ludhiana, Punjab due to a fire at a garbage dumpsite. It was noted that the state has failed to manage over 30 lakh MT of solid waste which was leading to polluting the environment with toxic chemicals like methane and also contaminating the groundwater.

The apex environmental court has imposed Ludhiana Municipal Corporation with a penalty of Rs 100 crore including Rs 57.5 lakh to be paid to the kins of the victims.

The NGT also notified about the failure of solid waste management of over 1 crore MT along with huge garbage dump sites in Delhi.