SC stays recovery of penalty on NTPC's Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station in Singrauli

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has stayed the recovery of penalty of over Rs four crore from NTPC Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station in Singrauli and Sonebhadra districts for damaging the environment.

A bench headed by Justice R F Nariman issued notices to the Centre, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments, Central Pollution Control Board and others on the appeal filed by the plant against the National Green Tribunal order.

"Issue notice. There shall be stay of the recovery in the meantime," the bench, also comprising Justices Navin Sinha and K M Joseph, said.

The thermal power plant had approached the top court against NGT's 2019 order imposing an environmental compensation of Rs 4.16 crore, Rs 27 lakh and Rs 45.90 lakh on three plants.

The tribunal had levied penalty noting that violation of environmental norms was resulting in damage caused to water bodies, including Rihand Reservoir.

"Surface and underground water was polluted affecting rivers like Son, Renu, Bijul, Kanhar, Gopad, Pankagan, Kathauta Kachan, etc. and streams/nalas like Ballia Nala, Chatka Nala, Kahuwa Nala, Tippa Jharia, Dongia Nala, etc."

"Water has been contaminated by toxic effluents discharged, chemicals and fly ash and was not fit for consumption," the tribunal had noted while directing the Uttar Pradesh and the Madhya Pradesh State pollution control boards to recover compensation from the identified polluters, after following due process of law.

The green panel had passed the order after perusing the report filed by a committee which recommended that environmental carrying capacity in Singrauli area must be worked out to take a decision on new / expansion projects and also to devise an environment friendly strategy on pollution control by the industries in the area.