Manali MC gets 3 more months to pay Rs 4.6 crore fine for polluting Beas

The High Court of Himachal Pradesh, in its order dated September 20, had given three more months to the Manali Municipal Council (MC) to comply with the May 29 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the payment of Rs 4.6 crore compensation. The NGT had held the MC liable to pay environmental compensation for the contamination of the Beas through the discharge of untreated leachate from the waste management plant at Rangri in Manali.

As per the NGT orders, the last date for depositing the compensation with the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) was August 28. However, the MC filed an appeal in the High Court, seeking relief.

The NGT had ordered a compensation of Rs 4,60,55,962 by the application of the principle of ‘Polluter Pays’ for a period of 146 days from November 12, 2023, to April 5, 2024. The NGT had directed for criminal prosecution under Sections 15, 16, 17 and 19 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, as the case may be against the Kullu District Magistrate, Manali MC Executive Officer and the Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department.

The High Court has stayed the operation of the impugned order in so far as the order directing criminal prosecution of the fourth petitioner i.e. the Manali MC Executive Officer only. The matter has again been listed along with CWP No. 2,365 of 2018 on October 17.

Meanwhile, there is resentment among people over the shoddy handling of garbage. Gautam Thakur, a social activist in Manali, says, “We will file a PIL in the High Court by next week to recover the fine from the negligent municipal councillors and officers. The taxpayers of Manali should not be made to bear the brunt of the follies of the MC. Public funds should be spent on development works in Manali and not on the payment of fine.”

Another local Sanjeev alleges that due to the lackadaisical approach of the MC and the contractor managing the garbage plant at Rangri, the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) had imposed a fine of Rs 15.30 lakh on the civic body in May 2023. Now, Rs 4.60 crore, which could be spent on development, would be used for the purpose of remediation, rejuvenation and restoration of the environment damaged due to the negligence of the MC officers.

Meanwhile, a meeting over the no-confidence motion against Manali MC president Chaman Kapoor is scheduled for tomorrow.

Discharge of liquid waste in river

• The NGT had held the MC liable to pay environmental compensation for the contamination of the Beas through the discharge of untreated leachate from the waste management plant at Rangri in Manali
• The NGT had ordered a compensation of ~4,60,55,962 by the application of the principle of 'Polluter Pays' for a period of 146 days from November 12, 2023, to April 5, 2024