Refusing any reprieve for automobile-related units, who are under the scanner for their alleged contribution to the pollution of Bellandur lake, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday refused to entertain their plea asking for closure orders to be set aside.
“You are making it difficult for the people to breathe and live their life. People are coming to the court saying there are deaths taking place due to the pollution. How can you do it? You are not maintaining any record of the hazardous waste generated by you. Show us the mechanism or any document as to how you collect the waste,” the Bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, said during the hearing.
The Court issued notices to the State government, Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, State and Central Pollution control boards and sought their reply on the plea of the automobile-related units within a week.
Based on the tribunal’s earlier order, more than 76 identified polluting industries around Bellandur lake were closed. The tribunal had stepped in to oversee rejuvenation of the severely polluted waterbody after a part of it caught fire in February earlier this year.
The counsel appearing for the automobile-related units told the Bench that the authorities had shut down their units which were located more than 15km away from the lake. He said they were strictly complying with all the norms and not discharging any effluent in the Bellandur lake.
“The audit report by Maruti shows strict compliance by us. If any of the dealers does not comply with regulations, the dealership is instantly cancelled. We are in no way responsible for pollution in the lake,” said the counsel.
The matter was listed for next hearing on June 8.
In their earlier orders, the tribunal had directed that even housing societies and residential complexes near the lake should have STPs working within the prescribed parameters, failing which their power and water supply will be cut.
“You are making it difficult for the people to breathe and live their life. People are coming to the court saying there are deaths taking place due to the pollution. How can you do it? You are not maintaining any record of the hazardous waste generated by you. Show us the mechanism or any document as to how you collect the waste,” the Bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, said during the hearing.
The Court issued notices to the State government, Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, State and Central Pollution control boards and sought their reply on the plea of the automobile-related units within a week.
Based on the tribunal’s earlier order, more than 76 identified polluting industries around Bellandur lake were closed. The tribunal had stepped in to oversee rejuvenation of the severely polluted waterbody after a part of it caught fire in February earlier this year.
The counsel appearing for the automobile-related units told the Bench that the authorities had shut down their units which were located more than 15km away from the lake. He said they were strictly complying with all the norms and not discharging any effluent in the Bellandur lake.
“The audit report by Maruti shows strict compliance by us. If any of the dealers does not comply with regulations, the dealership is instantly cancelled. We are in no way responsible for pollution in the lake,” said the counsel.
The matter was listed for next hearing on June 8.
In their earlier orders, the tribunal had directed that even housing societies and residential complexes near the lake should have STPs working within the prescribed parameters, failing which their power and water supply will be cut.