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New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of a news report highlighting the protests of villagers and environment activists over the discharge of pharmaceutical effluents into Nalla Cheruvu, a local water body in Dommadugu village in Telangana’s Sangareddy district.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava said the incident raises important issues under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
“This news raises important issues relating to compliance with environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of the Scheduled Act,” the bench said. Expert member A. Senthil Vel was also included.
The suo motu case registered based on a report published on September 24 that pharmaceutical companies were allegedly releasing toxic waste into the lake led residents to demand immediate action.
Taking cognizance of the case, the NGT made the Central Pollution Control Board, Telangana State Pollution Control Board and the District Collector of Sangareddy as respondents.
Counsel for Telangana PCB accepted the notice and sought four weeks’ time to file its reply.
Noting that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Southern Zonal Bench, the NGT ordered the case to be transferred to Chennai for further proceedings and directed all the respondents to file their responses by way of affidavit at least a week before the next hearing on December 3.
“Since the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal, the OA is transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai, for appropriate further action. The original record of the OA be transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai,” the NGT ordered.
It says, “If a respondent files the reply directly without sending it through his counsel, the said respondent shall be physically present to assist the Tribunal.”
–IANS
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