NGT fines 137 brick kilns in Tripura

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Agartala, June 11: Eastern Zone Bench of the tiol Green Tribul has imposed a fine of total Rs 1,39,50,000 on 137 brick kiln in Tripura for violating pollution control instructions. A fine of Rs one lakh on each of the 132 brick kilns for non-renewal of consent letter issued by the State Pollution Control Board and Rs 1.5 lakh on each of the rest five for never obtaining the same were imposed. Passing the order, the bench has instructed the State Pollution Control Board to spend the money to be collected for maintaining pollution control measures. The issue was raised before the Green Tribul following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Kolkata based advocate alleging that the brick kilns in Tripura are operating without maintaining the guidelines given by the Supreme Court and polluting the environment. The Green Tribul had instructed the State Pollution Control Board to submit a detail report in this regard. A team of the pollution Control Board led by environmental scientist Mihir Roy conducted a detail survey on all the 348 brick kilns in the state. The survey revealed that all the brick kilns were having concrete chimneys as per apex court instruction but without any consent letter. A notification was issued by the board to 137 brick kilns to comply the order within 15 days.