The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Bench, has passed an interim order against dumping garbage by the Vengaivasal village panchayat close to a lake and in residential localities.
Following an application from S.P. Surendranath Karthik and J. Jeya Sabare Eswaran of Madipakkam, the tribunal granted an interim injunction restraining the rural local body from dumping waste on survey numbers 7, 8 and 19, which are located close to Perumbakkam lake, as it is a violation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000.
The petitioners said that in response to an application filed under Right to Information Act, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board replied that they had not approved of, or identified any land for the local body to dump garbage, while the village panchayat did not reply at all.
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In his appeal, Mr. Surendranath said Perumbakkam Lake was situated about 20 metres from the survey numbers mentioned in the petition.
The panchayat should have made an Environment Impact Assessment Study and called for a public consultation before using the site for dumping of garbage, petitioners said.
Admitting their petitions, the bench comprising judicial member Justice M. Chockalingam and expert member P.S. Rao, passed the order asking the village panchayat, a part of St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union, Kancheepuram district, and seven other respondents, including the District Collector, to file their responses before the bench. The matter was posted for hearing on November 4.
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The tribunal granted an interim injunction restraining the Vengaivasal village panchayat from dumping waste near Perumbakkam lake