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State extends TNPCB’s Appellate Authority and tenure of chairman
The state has extended the chairperson’s term of Appellate Authority of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) for a period of one year. A notification to this effect has been recently published by the government stating that the present chairperson would be in handling the Authority until February 18, 2019.
By
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migrator
Chennai
The notification comes at a time when the state has refused permission to Sterlite Copper’s existing smelter plant in Thoothukudi and the same was publicised by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in twitter.
Earlier on March 28, 2015, the state government appointed Justice T Sudanthiram as chairman of the Appellate Authority for the period of three years and his tenure came to an end on March 27, 2018, while it also extended the term of the Authority itself up to February 18, 2019, in a separate order.
Highly-placed sources said that the term of the body has concluded last month and is mandatory to have the body which is tasked with adjudication of disputes relating to Environment and Pollution Control.
Therefore, the government has decided to provide extension to the present chairman in such a way that the terms of both the chairman and the authority remain coterminous.
“The Authority entertains and disposes of the appeals preferred by the industries against the orders of the TNPCB issued under provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1974, as amended in 1988 and under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,” the senior official.
The set up is important as the aggrieved, if any, on the orders Appellate Authority relating to the said Acts and as well as under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 can look for recourse through the National Green Tribunal.
RTI plea seeks immediate reply from Sterlite
A team of Chennai residents, led by Justice Hariparanthaman, demanded that the TNPCB should immediately halt the expansion and set up a credible team involving local people to move towards permanent closure of the existing factory.
The RTI questions will lay bare the high-level fraud, collusion and possible corruption in TNPCB and state’s handling of the controversial copper smelter and its expansion.
The RTI application demanded information within 48 hours invoking a clause that obligates public authorities to furnish information within that timeframe when the matter concerns the life and liberty of persons.
“Article 21, the Right to Life, covers the right to breathe clean air and live in a healthy environment. Vedanta Sterlite has failed to develop a greenbelt of adequate width around its premises. It continues with illegal construction involving the movement of heavy vehicles and equipment.
The contaminated dust pollution is causing serious distress to people, including children and the elderly, who are already suffering from the effects of pollution,” said Justice Hariparanthaman.
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