NGT slaps Rs 100 crore penalty on Andhra Pradesh

NGT slaps Rs 100 crore penalty on Andhra Pradesh

Question: Recently, which of the following state has been charged of Rs 100 crore penalty by National Green Tribunal for inaction to prevent unregulated sand mining?
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Odisha
(c) Andhra Pradesh
(d) Maharashtra
Answer: (c)
Related facts:

  • The National Green Tribunal has imposed an interim penalty of Rs 100 crore on the Andhra Pradesh government for inaction to prevent unregulated sand mining in the state.
  • The penalized sum is to be deposited as ‘environment compensation’ with the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) within a month.
  • A bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel made this course of action on a public interest litigation filed by local resident Anumolu Gandhi and Rajendra Singh (popularly known as the Waterman of India).
  • In its judgement,NGT constituted a committee comprising Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), National Institute of Mines, Dhanbad, IIT Roorkee and Madras School of Economics to investigate the environment damage within three months and furnish a report to theTribunal.
  • This significant step towards environmental cause is commendable as it will prevent illegal sand mining causing damage to Krishna, Godavari rivers and their tributaries in the state.
  • The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been established on 18 September 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of environmental disputes guided by principles of natural justice.

By Amar Mani Upadhyay

Links:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/andhra-pradesh-illegal-sand-mining-national-green-tribunal-5663692/
https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/deccan+chronicle-epaper-deccanch/national+green+tribunal+imposes+rs+100+crore+fine+on+andhra+pradesh+govt-newsid-112899298
http://www.greentribunal.gov.in/history.aspx