NGT imposes Rs 15,000 fine on Srinagar civic body for delay in filing report

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for the delayed filing of a report related to the implementation of waste management plans.
The green body passed the order while hearing the matter regarding the illegal and unscientific dumping of plastic, municipal solid, bio-medical and other waste in the Achan landfill of Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
In an order dated January 9, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said that the civic body’s progress report, in pursuance of the tribunal’s order in March last year, was not filed.
“In view of the above lapse, the tribunal is not in a position to examine and assess the progress which has been made in the meanwhile to remediate the problem of the legacy waste lying at the Achan landfill site in Srinagar,” the bench said.
It noted the submissions of the corporation’s counsel, according to which, the report had not come on record as it was filed belatedly on January 8.
“We impose the cost of Rs 15,000 upon the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to be deposited with the NGT Bar Association within one week,” the tribunal said.
It also directed the civic body to file a fresh updated report disclosing the status of the legacy waste and also the status of the facility created for treating the daily generated waste, and the existing gap in the daily generation and treatment of the waste.
The matter has been posted on April 8 for further proceedings.