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The National Green Tribunal dealt with a range of environmental issues in 2022 and passed several directions, including imposing hefty penalties on multiple states for causing damage to the environment and seeking restitution. The green tribunal cracked down on several states and union territories for non-compliance with Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSW) Rules, 2016 and other environmental issues. For lack of proper management of solid and liquid waste, the tribunal ordered the Maharashtra government to pay an environmental compensation of a staggering Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 3,800 crore on the Telangana government. Also at the receiving end of its stiff penalties to tackle environmental damage were West Bengal, which was asked to cough up Rs 3,500 crore, Rajasthan Rs 3,000 crore, Karnataka Rs 2,900 crore, Punjab Rs 2,180 crore and Uttar Pradesh Rs 100 crore. It also slapped fines of Rs 200 crore on the Nagaland government, Rs 50 crore on the Mizoram government and Rs 32 crore
The National Green Tribunal has imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 3,500 crore on West Bengal for its failure in the treatment of solid and liquid waste. The green bench observed there was not much initiative by the West Bengal government in prioritising solid and sewage treatment plants in urban areas. The bench, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said remedial measures must be taken within six months. The order said that for failure in liquid waste management processing, "liability of the state is to pay compensation of Rs 2,980 crores, rounded off to Rs 3,000 crore in view of continuing damage." For failure to process solid waste, the compensation to be paid is Rs 500 crore, the NGT said. "Final amount of compensation under the two heads (solid and liquid waste) is assessed at Rs 3500 crore which may be deposited by the state of West Bengal in a separate ring-fenced account within two months," according to the September 1 order. The chief secretary may personally mo
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday pitched for the use of alternative fuels for vehicles to reduce the import of crude oil as well as cut down on pollution. As much as 35 per cent of the pollution in the country is due to diesel and petrol, Gadkari said, adding, "this is why we need import-substituting, cost-effective and pollution-free and indigenous products". At the launch of the country's first electric double decker air-conditioned bus, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways said that electric automobiles are greatly cost effective when compared to diesel ones. "In the Indian situation, import of crude oil is a big challenge. We are already experiencing the way rates are increased. It is also very difficult for the common man...," he said. According to him, it is time to start using alternative fuels like electricity, ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, bio-CNG, bio-LNG and hydrogen for the automobile sector. Further, he said the current size of the Indian automobile .