Bengaluru: In a temporary relief to industrial establishments situated around Bellandur Lake, the Karnataka High Court has stayed further proceedings before the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice S.K. Mukherjee and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar passed an interim order staying further proceedings in the NGT, after hearing a petition filed by the owners of Shashi Distilleries Private Ltd, which has been operating in Hulimavu Village on Bannerghatta Road for around 24 years.
They questioned the legality of the order passed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on May 12 that allowed for the closure of the unit based on the NGT’s April 19 direction.
It also pointed out that the Delhi Bench of NGT has no jurisdiction to hear the matter that comes under the jurisdiction of Southern Bench of NGT in Chennai.
The petition stated that the joint inspection carried out by the officials of KSPCB and Central Pollution Control Board revealed that the brewery unit neither drew water from the lake nor discharged any effluent into it. However, KSPCB did not act on a plea submitted by the petitioner for the revocation of the closure order.
CEO of Namma Bengaluru Sridhar Pabbisetty said,” We are reviewing the High Court order and come up with a legal strategy. The decision was unexpected.”
He also felt the lake clean up drive would not be stopped as the High Court has granted the stay only in this case.
