‘Why no fines collected for lake damage?’ Green tribunal raps K'taka govt

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the authorities for their failure to collect penalties from Mantri Techzone and Core Mind Software and Services.

The two companies have been directed to pay approximately Rs 130 crore as penalty for the damage caused to the Bellandur and Varthur lake drains and their catchment area.

The Forward Foundation, one of the three petitioners in a 2014 case with the NGT, has filed a petition alleging that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, and Bangalore Development Authority, among others, have not complied with the tribunal’s directives.

The NGT had ordered Mantri Techzone Private Limited and Core Mind Software and Services Private Limited to pay a penalty of Rs 117.35 crore and Rs 13.5 crore, respectively, for damaging the environment, besides directing razing illegal structures.

However, the companies had challenged the order and their appeals were subsequently dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The apex court had also dismissed the review petition and the curative petition filed by Mantri.

Forward Foundation stated that the directions in the NGT order with regard to the payment of compensation and demolition of illegal constructions have not been complied with till date.

“Neither any effective action has been taken nor the (companies) on their own have paid any compensation. Illegal constructions have not been demolished,” the petitioner said.

A bench comprising of Sudhir Agarwal and A Senthil Vel asked the three authorities to explain why they were “inactive”.

The bench also demanded to know why criminal prosecution should not be initiated against the two companies for defying the green tribunal’s judgment.