NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has issued notice to the Rathi Steel and Power Ltd’s plant at Ghaziabad, asking why environment compensation not be imposed on it for causing air pollution and extracting groundwater without permission.
The tribunal had last year imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 20 lakh, to be paid in two equal instalments on the steel unit and asked it to deposit the amount with the state pollution control board. It had also ordered inspection of the unit by Central Pollution Control Board and UP Pollution Control Board and asked it to submit analysis report of the effluents and emissions from the industrial unit.
Relying on a report placed by central and UP pollution control boards, the green panel asked why appropriate action be not taken against the steel unit for releasing particulate matter 10 which had resulted in degradation of ambient air.
A bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice U D Salvi said that an inspection team has found that Rathi Steel has been extracting water through three borewells with submersible pumps of 20 HP capacity for industrial and domestic use without permission.
“It is said Rathi Steel has moved an application dated July 11, 2017 for permission to extract ground water from Central Ground Water Authority.
