Aastha Thakur
Published on: 21 October 2022 at 17:43 IST
In a punitive ruling, the National Green Tribunal‘s Southern Zone on Thursday penalized HPCL’s Visakh Refinery Rs. 18.35 crore for damaging the environment as a result of a plea brought by Visakha Pawan Praja Karmika Sangham.
Justice Pushpa Satyanarayana, who pronounced the decision, stated that the Joint Committee’s recommendations that HPCL had failed to adopt appropriate environmental safeguards between 2011 and 2020 had merit. Being a CPSE company that provides public utility services, HPCL should be an example of environmental compliance, which was regrettably lacking in this case for more than ten years.
The tribunal ordered the HPCL to deposit an additional amount of Rs 10 crore for its deliberate negligence as a PSU, that can be utilized to restore the environment and public health in the Vizag area, in addition to the environmental compensation valued at Rs 8.35 crore. In order for CPCB to develop a plan to that effect, it requested that HPCL deposit Rs 10 crore with CPCB within two months. The joint committee will make sure that the strategy is implemented with regular supervision.
HPCL has been given six months to implement all required measures and adhere to the joint committee’s and inquiry report’s observations. It ordered that the APPCB keep an eye on the situation and take action against HPCL in the event of a fresh violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. It also requested that the APPCB take the proper legal action against the tactless officials.
The tribunal also demanded an independent compliance report from the Joint Committee detailing the HPCL’s compliance six months later, or by May 15, 2023, followed an inspection. It posted the matter in May 2023 after disposing of the initial application.