The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slammed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for not taking necessary and appropriate action against the State Government entities that are violating the environmental norms. The Pune Bench of the Tribunal headed by Judicial Member M Sathyanarayanan made this statement in the hearing of a case filed by Krishi Vigyan Arogya Sanstha against the Koradi Thermal Power Station (KTPS) for spreading water and air pollution in the nearby areas. The Tribunal said, “It is very pertinent to point at this juncture that this Tribunal (NGT) had come across in many cases in which the statutory authority namely the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, for the reasons best known to them, is not taking necessary and appropriate action against the State Government entities against whom, allegations were levelled for violating the environmental norms and the present case is also one such case.”

 

In November, MPCB issued a show cause notice to KTPS for non-compliance of environment rules and failed to achieve 100% fly ash utilisation. In an affidavit, the MPCB mentioned about the show cause notice to the Tribunal but no further action has been taken by the Board against the Plant so far. It said, “MPCB has made an averment as to the issuance of Notice under Section 31A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to KTPS and however, it is silent as to the further action taken in pursuant to the said notice.” The Tribunal is totally dissatisfied as to the said lackadaisical attitude exhibited by the Board, it stated. It also learned that MPCB has also asked for time before the Tribunal to file an additional affidavit as to the further action taken after issuance of the Notice to the Koradi Thermal Power Plant.

 

Along with the notice, MPCB also issued analysis results of pollution created by Koradi Thermal Power Plant. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) which should remain below 200 mg/Nm3, has monitored 650 mg/Nm3 of Unit No 9 and 630 mg/Nm3 of Unit No 10 which is exceeded the permissible limits. Similarly, Particulate Matter (PM 10) level of three different locations including Arya Nagar (141.33), Bokhara Village (150.33) and Khasala Village (137.0) of Koradi Thermal Power Plant was recorded above the permissible limits. The Tribunal is going to conduct the next hearing on February 11, 2022 and instructed MPCB to submit the additional affidavit with supporting documents on next hearing.