JOIN USNGT directs CPCB to fine Amazon, Flipkart, other companies for excessive plastic packaging
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to conduct environmental audit and recover fine from e-commerce firms Amazon, Flipkart and some beverages firms for violation of environmental norms in handling plastic waste generated by them.
The Principal Bench of Green Tribunal headed by its chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel observed that the statutory regulators were not taking coercive measures, including invoking of “polluter pays” principle for enforcing the statutory norms against the e-commerce firms.
The green panel passed this order after hearing a petition filed by 16-year-old boy Aditya Dubey, who has approached the tribunal to stop e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart from excessive plastic use in their packaging.
Dubey, through his legal guardian, has pleaded the NGT to direct Amazon and Flipkart to stop excessive use of plastic in packaging the goods delivered by the firms.
While asking the member secretary, CPCB to present during the hearing on the next date through video conferencing the bench said, “A report has been filed by the CPCB, which again mentions one or other reasons for not enforcing the law but does not mention the coercive measures adopted either directly by the CPCB or in coordination with the state pollution control boards."
“The CPCB can also consider ordering environmental audit against the concerned entities and assess and recover compensation for violation of environmental norms, following due process of law,” the bench said.
The tribunal sought an action taken report in the matter before October 14, the next date by email.
The CPCB has earlier told the NGT that e-commerce giants need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and need to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to the packaging of their products.