Erring officials may face prosecution, warns NGT on plea against dump yards near Khoh river

New Delhi [India], July 29 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT), hearing a plea against the illegal dump yards on the bank of River Khoh, has warned that erring officials in Uttarakhand authorities may face prosecution if they failed to comply with the rules related to waste management and preventing water pollution.
A bench of the NGT, headed by its chairperson AK Goel, also took note of the fact that damage to the environment is continuing, which is a criminal offence.
The tribunal noted that there was no progress in terms of the timelines laid down under the statutory rules and said, "the liability of the State to take steps is no way different from law and order in view of the potential of a threat to human life and public health."
"While we grant an adjournment, it is made clear that if there is no further progress, the State may be liable to pay damages for the inaction, apart from liability to the prosecution of the officers responsible for the failure," the NGT said.
The bench also asked the Uttrakhand state to file a progress report in the matter and listed the matter for January 11, 2021, for further hearing.
The NGT was hearing a petition filed by one Arvind Baniyal seeking remedial action against waste disposal dump yards illegally set up on the bank of River Khoh at villages Ratanpur, Kashirampur, Gadighat and near a sports stadium in Kotdwar.
Baniyal, in his plea, said that garbage is being burnt at these sites and the river is being polluted. The matter was last considered on March 18.