The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the authorities concerned, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and Naravarikuppam town panchayat, to file reports on the removal of garbage from the Kosasthalaiyar near Puzhal and steps to prevent dumping of waste.
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The Bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, had taken suo motu cognisance of a news report about how a stretch of the Kosasthalaiyar in Puzhal had become a waste dump for neighbouring town panchayats in Tiruvallur district.
According to the news report, the Naravarikuppam panchayat had dumped waste on the banks of the river near the outlet of the Puzhal reservoir, with a nearly 250-m stretch reeking of odour. The Bench had issued notices to the Tiruvallur Collector, the Public Works Department Kosasthalaiyar Basin Division, the Naravarikuppam town panchayat, the Director of Town Panchayats, and the TNPCB.
On October 10, the Bench said the TNPCB had not yet filed a report and directed all authorities to submit their response.
“Let the authorities file their respective reports as to whether the waste dumped in the Kosasthalaiyar has been removed and what action they have taken to prevent dumping of waste as well,” it said.