Environment Ministry fined Rs 2 lakh by SC

New Delhi, Oct 24: The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the Environment Ministry for not fixing emission norms of Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide for 34 categories of industries — important to mitigate air pollution in Delhi and the NCR.

Imposing the fine, the apex court also banned the use of pet coke and furce oil in the tiol Capital Region (NCR).

The emission norms are significant as these industries, engaged in producing fertilisers, nitric acid and other hazardous activities, use pet coke and furce oil. Describing the Ministry of Environment and Forests’ delay in issuing the norms as “lethargic and lazy”, the bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta took exception to the Ministry issuing draft norms on October 23.

The court said failure to pay Rs 2 lakh would invite serious consequences. The court also expressed its “surprise” that the Ministry was sitting on the recommendations of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) made on June 27.

The draft norms issued on October 23 provide for 60 days for the public to raise objections. Thereafter, the Ministry will examine the objections before taking the fil call on fixing the emission norms.

The CPCB in its affidavit to the court on Tuesday said the emission norms for SO2 and NOx for nine categories of industries had already been notified. Asking the central government to fix the emission norms by June 30, 2017, the court had by its May 2 order had said the emission norms would be fixed after hearing a limited number of authorised representatives of the said industries. (IANS)