NGT Sets A Three-Month Deadline To Shut Polluting Industries Pan India

16 July 2019 (New Delhi): Making it clear that economic development cannot take place at the cost of public health, The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declared a 3-month deadline to shut down all polluting industries across India.

In its latest development, the NGT has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to close all polluting industries that are located in 'Critically polluted and 'Severely polluted' areas, within 3 months.

Based on a joint study carried out by CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards in 2009-10, the industrial clusters were notified as Polluted Industrial Areas (PIAs) and they were ranked as Critically Polluted Area (CPAs), Severely Polluted Areas (SPAs) and Other Polluted Areas (OPAs), depending upon their respective Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index scores.

This particular decision to strengthen Eco laws came yesterday, from the bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, wherein CPCB has been directed to work in coordination with the State Pollution Control Boards to assess the quantum of compensation to be received from polluting units for the period of last 5 years. This will be done by taking into account the cost of restoration and the cost of damage to the public health & environment, along with the deterrence element.

The bench has also mentioned that the scale of deterrence may be related to the period and frequency of defaults, and any such other factors that are found relevant may also be taken into account. As evident, no further industrial activities including expansion will be allowed concerning 'Red' and 'Orange' category units, until the set areas are brought within the prescribed parameters, the carrying capacity of these areas is assessed and new units or expansion are found viable having regard to the carrying capacity of the area and environmental norms.

However, the bench has also made a point that white and green or non-polluting industries that are not causing any pollution will not be affected by this order.

The bench has also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) with the assistance of experts to compile proper information about these polluted industrial areas based on all the parameters, including water and air pollution norms, and that notification of this information shall be available on the public domain within 3 months.

Also, The Ministry of Environment & Forests has been directed to take corrective steps for enforcement of an action plan meant to improve the current situation of our environment.

The green panel sort a compliance report by the CPCB after 3 months by email and posted the matter for hearing on November 5.

The Tribune took note of a media report which said that the Central Pollution Control Board had started a process to rank 88 industrial clusters across the country based on their pollution levels.

This report also mentions that CPCB body has recently completed the analysis of the levels based on air and water quality and hazardous waste generated by these industrial clusters.

According to the media report, the State Pollution Control Committees and the Central Pollution Control Board had conducted surveys in 2009-10 to check pollution levels in the 88 notified industrial clusters, and thereafter, these industrial clusters were ranked under 'critical' and 'serious' categories.