SC pulls up Centre for making environmental laws 'toothless', says penalty provision not implemented
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Centre for making the environment protection law “toothless”, and said the provision under the CAQM Act which deals with penalty for stubble burning was not being implemented.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanulllah and Augustine George Masih said the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act of 2021 (CAQM Act) was enacted without creating required machinery for implementing the provision to curb air pollution.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said section 15 of the CAQM Act, which deals with penalty for stubble burning, will be implemented effectively as regulations for it will be issued in 10 days.
She submitted that an adjudicating officer will be appointed and all necessary actions will be taken to enforce the law effectively.
Bhati pointed out that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued notices to senior administrative officials of Punjab and Haryana besides officials of the state pollution control boards and sought their response as to why action should not be taken against them.
The bench asked the CAQM who is taking your notices seriously as the procedure is not provided under the law.
"Please tell your chairperson of CAQM not to bail out these officials. We know what is happening on the ground," the bench said.
Bhati pointed out that over 1,000 cases of stubble burning have taken place in several districts of Punjab like Amritsar, Ferozepur, Patiala, Sangrur, Taran Taran.
On October 16, the top court had pulled up the Punjab and Haryana governments over the non-prosecution of violators found guilty of stubble burning while summoning the state chief secretaries to appear before it on October 23 for an explanation.
The top court has been upset over Punjab and Haryana governments not taking any steps to implement the directions issued by the CAQM in the national capital region (NCR) to stop stubble burning.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad, Nov 25: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
