Madras HC rejects plea to make mandatory environmental clearance for industries
Chennai: The Madras high court has dismissed a public interest litigation which sought a direction to the Central and state governments to make environment clearance and pollution control consent and permission mandatory for all manufacturers and industries using chemicals.
A division bench comprising Justices S.Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad dismissed the PIL filed by advocate V.Annaraja.
According to petitioner, Adyar river running through Anakaputhur was totally polluted with chemical and sewage effluents.
The air in his area causes nausea and burning of eyes. He was given to understand that these sewage and chemical effluents were caused by innumerable leather, rubber, polymer and metal manufacturers and industries in and around Anakaputhur, some of which to his understanding were operating without clearances and permissions and consent required under the environment laws and pollution control laws.
The chemicals and sewage effluents were being let into Adyar river without any treatment as such, he added.
The bench said the petitioner has made bald allegation that the manufacturing industries have no environmental clearance. “We do not find that the petitioner has verified with the Pollution Control Board as to whether industries have obtained environmental clearance or not”. Even assuming that no clearance was obtained, the petitioner has to approach the National Green Tribunal against the said manufacturers for not obtaining the environmental clearance, the bench added and dismissed the petition.
