New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal Thursday directed a committee to submit a report on a plea seeking directions to Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) in Punjab's Mansa town to pay environmental compensation for unscientific management of the fly ash.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel formed a committee comprising officials from Central Pollution Control Board, state pollution control board, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and District Magistrate Mansa.
We are prima facie satisfied that the application raises substantial questions of an environment which need to be adjudicated by this Tribunal.
"We direct the committee to furnish a factual and action taken report including restoration plan for damage to the environment and assessment of realistic compensation of the damage caused," the bench said.
The tribunal said that a copy of the report may also be furnished to Justice Jasbir Singh, former Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, who has been appointed to look into certain environmental issues in Punjab.
The green panel was hearing a plea filed farmer Kulwant Singh and others seeking directions to the company to pay environmental compensation for damage to the environment and the agricultural fields on account of unscientific management of the fly ash.
The plea said that due to such activities radioactive and heavy metals in coal and fly ash have affected the soil, apart from air pollution caused on account of emissions from the plant of the said unit.
According to the plea, the applicants are farmers and residents of the area and their agriculture crops have been adversely affected on account of fly ash generated by TSPL.
"The plant is using light diesel oil as fuel though it is designed for use of coal only," it said.
The plea said that SDM assessed compensation at Rs. 84,99,574 for nuisance under section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which is not being paid.
(PTI REPORT)
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