Following a plea seeking remedial action against a lead-melting factory that was allegedly operating illegally near the Delhi-Haryana border, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought an action-taken report from the State pollution control board.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said, “The Delhi Pollution Control Committee [DPCC] may finalise the process of recovery of compensation at the earliest and maintain vigil to prevent illegal operation of the industrial activity adversely affecting the environment.”
“We may observe that any assessment of compensation has to be based on laid-down parameters about the extent of damage caused and the cost of remediation,” the Bench added.
The directions came when the green panel was hearing a plea that alleged operation of an illegal lead-melting factory in the Kanjhawala area in Delhi. The plea alleged that the “poisonous smoke” emanating from the factory was adversely affecting people’s health.
Noting that the DPCC had furnished a report stating that the unit was closed down following an inspection, the NGT further directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board and District Magistrate, Jhajjar, to submit an action taken report pertaining to another unit operating in the area.
“The state of Haryana was informed about a similar unit operating in the land falling under the State of Haryana near Kanjhawala, Delhi... we consider it necessary to require a factual and action-taken report in the matter from a joint committee within one month,” the Bench said.
