The National Green Tribunal on Friday levied Rs 4,000 crore environmental compensation on Bihar for failing to scientifically manage solid and liquid waste. The bench informed that the amount of fine will be used to develop solid waste processing facilities, remediation of legacy waste and setting up of sewage treatment plants, and faecal sludge and septage treatment plants.
A bench of chairperson Justice A K Goel directed that the amount be deposited in a ring-fenced account within two months and was to be operated according to the chief secretary's directions only for waste management in the state, reported PTI.
The bench, including Justice Sudhir Agarwal, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members Afroz Ahmad and A Senthil Vel cites the violation of the law and said, "We levy compensation of Rs 4,000 crore on the state on the polluter pays principle for its failure in scientifically managing the liquid and solid waste in violation of the mandate of law, particularly judgments of the Supreme Court and this tribunal."
The bench further informed that the amount of fine will be used for beneficial development that includes solid waste processing facilities, remediation of legacy waste and setting up of sewage treatment plants, and faecal sludge and septage treatment plants.
The NGT noted that there was a legacy waste of more than 11.74 lakh metric tonnes as well as unprocessed urban waste of 4072 metric tonnes per day and the gap in liquid waste generation and treatment was 2,193 million litres per day.
Better alternatives to utilize the wet waste for composting at appropriate locations be explored. The scale of expenditure for sewage treatment plants may be reviewed in the light of realistic expenses involved in decentralized/traditional systems or otherwise, the NGT bench said.
(with inputs from PTI)
