Environmental compensation imposed on Mussorie hotels
The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal that environmental compensation has been imposed against 19 hotels for allegedly violating green norms in Mussoorie, while show-cause notices were issued against 30 others.
The green body is hearing the matter regarding hotels operating in Mussoorie without following environmental norms, besides the unregulated withdrawal of water from the Mussoorie lake, mainly by hotels.
In December last year, the tribunal had directed the UKPCB to take expeditious steps and complete the process of calculation and levy of EC after following the principles of natural justice.
In an order dated July 7, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad said that the UKPCB’s action-taken report disclosed that environmental compensation had been imposed against 19 defaulting hotels while show-cause notices were issued to 30 others.
The bench said, “Counsel for the UKPCB submits that out of the remaining 30 hotels, the EC has subsequently been imposed against 12 hotels and for the remaining 18 hotels the proceedings will be concluded and an order imposing the EC will be passed within four weeks.”
It directed the state pollution board to ensure that these hotels operate only with the due consent to operate (CTO) and in compliance with the environmental norms.
“Let a fresh report be filed by the UKPCB within six weeks. List on September 21,” the tribunal said.
