A MONTH after The National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a penalty of over Rs 2,000 crore on the Punjab Government as environment compensation for not being able to treat solid and liquid waste, the Finance department has expressed its inability to pay the huge amount of fine citing funds crunch.
On September 24, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice AK Goel had imposed the fine stating that corrective action could not wait for an indefinite period and health issues deferred for long. The tribunal had imposed a fine of Rs 2180 crore out of which the state government had deposited Rs 100 crore.
The tribunal had given a deadline of two months to the state government for depositing Rs 2080 crore. Over a month has since elapsed but the FD has stated that it does not have this much amount to be paid.
Resultantly, Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Wednesday called a meeting of the officials of departments concerned to find a way. The officials, it is learnt, had told him that it was not only Punjab but many other states were also imposed heavy penalty by the NGT. The CS, it is learnt, had asked the officials to come with a homework on how the other states were generating these amounts to pay up the fine.
After the meeting, a source said that it was decided to take up the matter with NGT again and pay one third of the total amount. The rest of the amount would be paid within six months.
“The government checked up with other states and found out that many were paying only one third of the amount. “We have also decided to do the same. We will seek Rs 750 crore from Finance Department now.” Said a source.
Earlier, the NGT had stated in its orders, “The responsibility of the state is to have a comprehensive plan to control pollution which is its absolute liability, which is not being understood. If there is a deficit in budgetary allocations, it is for the state and the state alone to have suitable planning by reducing cost or augmenting resources.”
It had added that compliance with environmental norms on the subject of waste management had to be high on priority. The NGT has been monitoring compliance of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and other environmental issues by states and UTs.
After Punjab had already deposited Rs 100 crore, the NGT had asked for the remaining amount of Rs 2,080 crore in a separate ring-fenced account within two months.
Earlier, NGT had ordered the Rajasthan Government to pay Rs 3,000 crore as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste. Earlier, it had fined UP Rs 100 crore.