Chandapura lake: NGT dismisses state plea against imposing penalty

The NGT has dismissed the State Government's appeal seeking relief from depositing Rs 500 crore in environmental compensation for 'failure' to maintain the Chandapura lake in Anekal.

The Principal Bench of the NGT headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that the Supreme Court had laid down the timeline for solid waste management and restoration of the environment. However, the state was taking liberty in fixing its own timelines in violation of the Supreme Court's direction. “The state is also not willing to abide by directions of this Tribunal on an untenable plea raised in this application,” the NGT said.

The NGT in its order in October this year had imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 500 crore on the Karnataka government for failure to maintain Chandapura lake in Anekal taking into account a joint committee report which noted laxity by various government agencies in cleaning the water body. The NGT had asked the state to deposit money in a separate account and use it for lake cleaning works. The NGT also asked the state government to take up the work in a time-bound manner.

The state government in its appeal against the NGT order said that the state authorities will require 3-4 years to take remedial measures which will not justify the direction to deposit the amount of Rs 500 crores immediately as the amount is to be spent in 3-4 years.

“The plea that the amount is to be spent in a few years and therefore, no liability has accrued is patently untenable. Liability for compensation has already accrued, which is in addition to continuing financial liability for future violations for many years as proposed by the State and prosecution and other coercive measures, in terms of the judgment of the Supreme Court and the statutory provisions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986, “ the NGT said while dismissing the state’s plea