NGT orders Nimawat Granite to pay interim compensation for green norms violation

NGT orders Nimawat Granite to pay interim compensation for green norms violation

The Haryana-based company has been slapped with a fine of Rs.3 crores

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Nimawat Granite Private Limited in Haryana's Mahendragarh to pay interim compensation for violating environmental norms.

The bench comprising chairperson Justice A K Goel, Justice Sudhir Agarwal, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the granite company had filed an application stating it had complied with the environmental norms, but there was no proof of it in the annexed documents.

NGT said the lease in favor of the project proponent, or the company commenced in October 2017. In September 2019, it was granted environmental clearance. However, there was no record showing compliance from 2019 to 2022.

Thus, the bench stated, "In view of the violation of conditions for not undertaking plantations and developing a green belt and not installing Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station and rainwater harvesting systems, the company is held accountable on 'Polluter Pays' principle under the NGT Act."

The bench directed the state Pollution Control Board (PCB) to determine whether the company was complying with environmental norms. Pending the determination of final compensation, the tribunal directed the company to pay Rs.3 crores as interim compensation for ecological restoration. The amount is to be deposited with the district magistrate within a month.