The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday issued bailable warrants against Environment Secretary of Uttarakhand Government and other senior officials, including district magistrate of Nainital, for their failure to comply with its directions passed earlier.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar slammed the State Government saying that it needs to show “greater seriousness and carry out orders of the tribunal with sincerity and effectiveness”.
The tribunal had on December 10, 2015, gave a number of directives to the State. Among others, it also included the constitution of a committee to submit a comprehensive action plan, on the issue of pollution of River Kosi in Nainital, due to discharge of sewage, waste water and domestic effluents.
The Bench noted that the committee was directed to file a report within three months but neither any report has been filed in this regard, nor anybody appeared before it on behalf of the panel or Uttarakhand Government.
“Execution of the orders of the tribunal is the essence of environmental justice and any person, particularly authorities who do not carry out such orders are not only liable for disobedience but also responsible for causing pollution and degradation of environment and ecology of the area,” observed the Bench.
The green court stressed, that the issue relates to a serious matter of dealing with sewage that was generated in various towns. This cannot be taken lightly, as one of the fundamental sources of pollution of the River Ganga is also for similar reasons.