NGT slaps Rs 100 cr fine on State for polluting Cooum, Adyar, CS summoned

A principal bench panel comprising chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, judicial member Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Nagin Nanda, noted that Adyar River, Cooum River and Buckingham Canal have continued to bear the brunt of unbridled pollution making them sewage waters.

In a 19-page judgment, the bench said, “In view of the State’s consistent failure, we are tentatively inclined to require TN to pay Rs 100 crore as compensation for damage to the environment with the CPCB for the past failures in preventing damage to environment. The amount may be used for restoration of environment.

“However, we also constitute a joint Committee comprising representatives of CPCB, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, Madras School of Economics, NEERI and the State Pollution Control Board. The Committee may assess the causes and quantum of damage to the environment as well as further steps required for restoration. The TNPCB will be the nodal agency to coordinate and comply with the orders of the Tribunal. “The Committee may give its report within three months. We further direct that performance guarantee be furnished by TN to the satisfaction of CPCB within a month to complete the restoration work within the specified time lines.” 

Expressing satisfaction over the result of a three-and-a-half-year struggle, Jawahar Shanmugam, one of the petitioners, said, “The NGT has sent a strong message to TN and other states that violate environmental norms.”