Dairies, gaushalas must follow air, water norms: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) to set up a regulatory and monitoring mechanism to ensure that dairies and gaushalas do not indulge in air and water pollution.

“The local authorities/corporations should carry out an inventory of the dairy farms and gaushalas located in their jurisdiction. The same should be updated and shared with the concerned SPCB/PCC on an annual basis," the NGT ordered.

The principal bench of the NGT headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel passed this order after hearing a petition filed by Delhi resident Nuggehalli Jayasimha.

The SPCBs/PCCs shall publish a public notice for dairy farms and gaushalas to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate under Water Act,1974 as well as Air Act,1981 as per the categorization of industries.

In case of any violation of environmental norms under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environmental (Protect) Act, 1986 by dairy farms and gaushalas, the concerned SPCBs/PCCs should impose environmental compensation as per the CPCB methodology for "Environmental Compensation to be levied on Industrial Units", for damaging the environment and in order to stop polluting activity and initiate prosecution for repeatedly polluting units, the Bench said.

The petitioner requested to make it not mandatory for gaushalas running as charitable institutions on donated lands to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 as well as Air Act, 1981 as per the categorization of industries in Orange and Green Category, respectively.

However, the NGT, which dismissed the petition also said that SPCBs/PCCs shall carry out environmental audit of atleast 2 dairy farms and 2 gaushalas, randomly selected from each district of the state/UT and submit the compliance and action taken report to CPCB on half yearly basis.

As per the current policy, dairy farms and gaushalas should be located outside city/village boundaries, atleast 200 meters away from residential dwellings and 500 meters away from hospitals & schools.

Dairy farms and gaushalas should not be located in flood prone areas, subject to flooding at 1-in-25-year or more frequent levels in order to avoid contamination of water bodies, the NGT said.

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