The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday extended the scope of its earlier order to protect all animals on the IIT-Madras campus that are mentioned in the Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Justice M.S. Nambiar said IIT-Madras would have to protect all animals on the campus that fall in the Schedules, after the Forest Department’s counsel E. Manoharan brought up the issue of other animals such as spotted deer too that are on the campus.
The court had earlier ordered IIT-M to ensure that the black bucks, which are endangered, are protected.
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On Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board informed the bench that it did not find any plastic waste inside the campus near the Krishna Gate, Velachery Gate and the STP area. The report comes after the NGT had directed the TNPCB and Chennai Corporation to file replies after inspecting whether IIT-M had cleared the campus of solid waste and construction debris.
In a report filed before the bench, the TNPCB also said that IIT-Madras was maintaining records on the collection and disposal of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable municipal solid waste generated on the premises.
Justice Nambiar asked applicant Antony Rubin to file a separate petition regarding his request to shift Saarang and Shaastra festivals out of the campus.
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The case has been posted to January 24 for further hearing.