Ranchi/Bokaro, August 3: National Green Tribunal (NGT) vide its order dated 30th July 2021 has imposed second time penalties to Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), a Central government PSU having it’s headquarter in Bengal for derelict in the duties of the official of thermal power plants leading to damage to ecology of Damodar River.
The recent order of NGT in a case filed by Praveen Kumar Singh, convenor, Damodar Bachao Andolan, with regard to furnace oil spill in the Damodar river by Chandrapura Thermal Power station (in Bokaro district) in the month of October 2019.
According to the petitioner, Praveen Kumar Singh, the NGT has imposed environmental compensation of Rs 1,64,53,000 (Rupees One Crore Sixty Four Lacs Fifty Three Thousand only) based on an assessment report submitted by a committee constituted by the tribunal. The DVC has been asked to deposit the entire environmental compensation within two months of the order.
Previously, NGT on 14th December 2020 by its order in another case directed DVC to deposited Rs 2,89,39,769/- (Rupees Two Crore Sixty Eighty Nine Lacks Thirty Nine Thousand and Seven Hundred Sixty Nine only) and to comply all other recommendations within two months.
This case was also filed by Praveen Kumar Singh in view of fly ash spill in river Damodar due to dyke failure on 12th September 2019.
“It is important to find out from the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board about the compliance status of both the NGT orders as well as institution of case against the DVC under the various environmental legislation for the violation of conditions stipulated during environmental clearance, Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) for such repeated incidences,” said the petitioner.
The Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) a Delhi based NGO helped Praveen Kumar Singh in collecting all technical details needed to file case in NGT. Advocate Ritwick Dutta and Advocate Rahul Choudhary has argued the case on the behalf of applicant Praveen Kumar Singh.