Non-submission of report: NGT imposes Rs 10,000 fine on DPCC

New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee for not following the tribunal’s directions for filing a report regarding the alleged illegal dairy farms on the river Yamuna’s floodplain here.

The NGT was hearing a plea against environmental pollution caused by around 60 dairy farms, with more than 1,000 cattle, which had been operating illegally.

Earlier in August last year, the tribunal formed a joint committee comprising the member secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), along with the Secretary of Delhi Government’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary and Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

It had directed the joint committee to submit an action-taken or status report after conducting spot inspections.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal noted that a senior environmental engineer had filed a report in December last year and another report by a sub-committee had been filed on behalf of various authorities.

“We are surprised that the joint committee which was constituted by the tribunal on August 24, 2023, has not filed its report despite two opportunities. No explanation by the Member Secretary, DPCC, who was appointed as coordinator, has come on record,” said the bench also comprising expert members Afroz Ahmad and A Senthil Vel.

In an order passed on February 16, the tribunal underlined that it had not authorised any sub-committee to submit a report.

“We have no option but to impose a cost of Rs 10,000 payable by the Member Secretary, DPCC, which is to be deposited within two weeks. Let the report be filed by the joint committee within a further period of six weeks,” the tribunal said.

The matter has been posted on April 19 for further proceedings.