Following a plea seeking a ban on antimony-coated solar panels, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), while expressing concern over lack of policies pertaining to the same, has directed the Centre to take necessary steps.
A Bench headed by NGT judicial member Justice Raghuvendra S. Rathore said, “It is an undisputed fact that neither any policy nor rules are in existence with regard to disposal of antimony-coated solar panels.”
Directing the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and others to take necessary steps, the Bench said, “We direct the respective counsels to seek instructions on the issue and in case the exercise is now to be done, the minimum time schedule which will be required.”
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The directions came while the NGT was hearing a plea moved by advocate Niharika seeking a ban on the manufacture, use and import of solar panels containing antimony. While seeking directions to the Central Pollution Control Board to permit import of solar panels that do not contain antimony, the plea alleged that currently the antimony was being dumped in landfill sites which is hazardous.