‘Why aren’t you closing polluting unit?’

HC pulls up Pollution Control Board

July 18, 2018 12:22 am | Updated 12:22 am IST - HYDERABAD

Expressing displeasure over failure of officials in checking environmental pollution, Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Sangareddy District Collector and the Pollution Control Board to place before it all details related to a case within 24 hours.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Ramesh Ranganathan declined to give more than one-day time to present the records. “Twenty four hours are enough. Get all the details on Wednesday,” the Chief Justice told the counsels for the Telangana PCB and the Revenue Department. The Bench made the observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition relating to the alleged damages caused to the houses of people living in the vicinity of an explosives manufacturing factory in Sangareddy. The petitioner sought compensation of ₹15,000 each to the owners of houses damaged due to blasting by the explosives factory. When the Bench sought to know what action was taken over the matter, the PCB’s counsel said that a Task Force was formed. “What task are they going to do?” the Bench said and asked the counsel why the PCB couldn’t shut the explosives factory. The Judges reminded the counsel that PCB was empowered by the law to do so. The Bench also sought to know from the factory’s counsel why it shouldn’t be closed as its actions were damaging houses of people and polluting the environment. The Bench expressed their displeasure over inaction of the Sangareddy District Collector. “What is the Collector doing sitting in his office,” the Bench questioned the counsel for Revenue Department.

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