J&K Pollution Control Board (PCB) Friday imposed penalty of Rs 64 lakh on Municipal Committee Banipora for violating Solid Waste Management Rules.
The penalty has been imposed is an environmental compensation case.
Environmental compensation is a policy instrument for the protection of the environment which works on the polluter pays principle.
In the notice by the PCB to MC Bandipora, it said that illegal and unscientific dumping and disposal of solid waste by the Municipal Committee Bandipora was received with photographic evidence and the matter was accordingly taken up with the concerned Deputy Commissioner, Director Urban Local Body and Executive Officer Municipal Committee Bandipora through a series of communications but without any tangible improvement on the ground.
It said that due to continuous failure of the Executive Officer Municipal Committee Bandipora to dispose of solid waste in a scientific manner, a show-cause notice for levying of environmental compensation in light of the directions of the National Green Tribunal was served upon the Executive Officer Municipal Committee Bandipora calling upon him there under to show reasons within 15 days as to why the environmental compensation be not levied upon him for these blatant violations of Environmental Laws.
“Regional Director PCB has also received photographic evidence indicating that no improvement on the ground was brought about by the concerned municipal body and the solid waste is continuously dumped at Zalwan Nassu site in close proximity with the district headquarter Bandipora and on the catchment of Wular Lake near Zalwan Nallah in a haphazard and unscientific manner,” it reads.
It said that in view of the foregoing background environmental compensation under polluter pays principle as per the approved guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board, the National Green Tribunal, “Rs 64,21,000 are levied on you for violation of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016.”
It said that the Executive Officer Municipal Committee, Bandipora is directed to deposit a sum of Rs 64,21,000 as environmental compensation in the Environmental Compensation Fund within 45 days and on lapse of this period interest at the rate of 12 percent on the compensation amount shall accrue at the risk and responsibility of the Executive Officer.
“The environmental compensation for the violation of environmental norms shall continue at the appropriate rate as per environmental laws and approved guidelines on day-to-day basis till compliance is made by the concerned Urban Local Body,” it reads.