Supreme Court halts NGT’s Rs 1,000 crore penalty on Punjab for legacy waste management

PTC News Desk: The Supreme Court has issued a stay on the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order requiring the Punjab government to pay over Rs 1,000 crore in environmental compensation due to the state’s inadequate management of legacy waste and untreated sewage.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justices J.B. Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra reviewed the appeal filed by the Punjab government against the NGT’s decision. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi represented the state in this matter.

The NGT’s directive, issued on July 25, mandated Punjab’s chief secretary to deposit Rs 10,261,908,000 with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) within a month. The Tribunal expressed frustration over Punjab’s ongoing failure to comply with environmental regulations, specifically referencing the provisions of the Water Act of 1974.

In its statement, the NGT highlighted the repeated opportunities it had provided to Punjab to rectify its environmental practices. The Tribunal stated, “We are at pain to observe that the State of Punjab has miserably failed in showing compliance or any bona fide intention of compliance. Enough is enough. Stringent, punitive, and preventive actions are required.”

Legacy waste refers to municipal waste that has been stored in landfills for an extended period, often resulting in significant environmental concerns. The Supreme Court’s stay will allow for further examination of the case and its implications for Punjab’s environmental policies.

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