The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to recover ₹ 1.90 crore from an industrial unit for polluting the Ramganga river in Amroha after noting serious violation of environmental norms.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted a report filed by a committee that the unit was granted permission for ground water extraction of 155 KLD for domestic and drinking purpose only.
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The green panel also noted that the industrial unit — C L Gupta Export Ltd. — lacked treatment facility for effluents.
The environmental compensation of ₹1.90 crore was finalised after revision and recalculation by a joint committee comprising officials from UPPCB and Central Pollution Control Board.
The committee had earlier computed the amount at ₹2.49 crore.
The tribunal said that there are serious continuing violations of environmental norms by the industry without corresponding stringent action.
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“The unit appears to have played fraud in obtaining NOC for ground water extraction for industrial purpose by falsely representing that purpose of extraction was residential.
“Action needs to be taken in this regard as per law of the land. Apart from this aspect, compliance with environmental norms needs to be ensured by the industrial unit which needs to be monitored and cross checked and a further report furnished by the joint Committee through the CPCB,” the bench said.
The tribunal directed that a status of compliance be presented on November 30.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Adil Ansari seeking action against illegal discharge of hazardous waste into Ramganga river, a tributary of Ganga, and illegal extraction of ground water by C L Gupta Export Ltd. in Amroha.
