New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has asked the UP Pollution Control Board to rework its environment restoration fund within two months.
It said the fund should be spent on strengthening the vigilance mechanism, setting up laboratories, monitoring the environment, hiring experts and consultants, undertaking remediation and study of contaminated sites.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the environment restoration fund should be spent as per plan to be approved by the National Campa Advisory Council (NCAC) and not for government functions.
We direct the state pollution control board to revisit its plan. Central Pollution Control Board may oversee preparation of such action plan. The chairman and member- secretary may have a meeting (physical or online) with chairman and member-secretary of the state PCB within one month. Plan may be finalised, with the approval of CPCB, within two months,” the bench said.
All other state pollution control boards may also prepare similar action plans for restoration of the environment and implementation of District Environment Plans in coordination with CPCB, it said.
“CPCB may also prepare such plan for utilisation of funds available with it. CPCB may file compliance report to this effect within four months by e-mail, the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on October 15.
The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by UP resident Ashish Kumar Dixit, who sought action against illegal operation of marriage halls, nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, commercial complexes, hotels and other commercial establishments without prior consent from the UPPCB in Banda, Mahoba and Chitrakoot districts.