DC Gurdaspur and Secratary Punjab pay 2 lakh fine to NGT; know why?
NGT orders to take action and submit report within three months in Solid Waste Management case
Rohit Gupta
Gurdaspur, March 28, 2024:
Deputy Commissioner Gurdaspur and Secretary Punjab state had deposited a fine of Rs. 1 lakh each for non-appearance in an ongoing case of solid waste management in the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Delhi on the 20th day of March.
The matter is based on a complaint filed by Sunil Dutt, an activist of Dinanagar, against Municipal Council Dinanagar regarding solid waste management. Before few years ago where was 10-12 feet deep pond right near the police station at Dina Nagar, there are now nearly eight feet piles of garbage.
National Green Tribunal was ordered to form a joint committee to verify the facts and situation presented by the complainant, they also ordered the joint committee to submit a factual report of the action.
The report of the joint committee was sent to the tribunal through email on 21-11-2023. Based on the report, notices were also sent to the chief secretary Punjab state, EO Kiran Mahajan of Dina Nagar Municipal Council, Deputy Commissioner Gurdaspur, and Secretary Environment Department Punjab.
During the hearing of the case through virtual conference, Advocate Naginder Banipal appeared on behalf of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and Kiran Mahajan Executive Officer MC Dinanagar also appeared before the tribunal but none appeared on behalf of Punjab State and and District Magistrate Gurdaspur.
In the order issued, the NBT said that the non-appearance of the Secretary Punjab and the District Magistrate Gurdaspur is considered a delay in the appropriate resolution of the unnecessary provision for the environmental issues involved in this case. Due to this, the Secretary Punjab Government and the District Magistrate Gurdaspur (ex) were ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh each by NBT.
The money was to be deposited with the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal Bar Association, New Delhi. The deposited cost is used to provide legal assistance to the applicants to effectively present their case and create financial facilities for those who cannot appear before this Tribunal through a lawyer.
It is worth mentioning here that the National Green Tribunal is an institution constituted by the Central Government in collaboration with the Supreme Court, which solves the cases of protection of the environment, forest, water, and other natural resources and reduces the unnecessary burden of the courts and its decisions can be challenged only in the Supreme Court.
Now the fine of one lakh rupees each (total Rs. 2 lakh) has been submitted by Punjab State and District Magistrate Gurdaspur to the principal bench of the Bar Association of NGT and the next date of hearing is 6th August 2024 is given by NGT.
Along with this, three months have been given to report the action taken by the Municipal Council Dina Nagar regarding the solid waste management of Dina Nagar and to Punjab State and Deputy Commissioner Gurdaspur to file their reply.