The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took Suo Motu cognizance of the issue relating to water pollution being caused due to seepage of effluent from the waste heaps into open wells and other drinking water sources at the landfill site in Mandara Village near waste dump yard of Mangaluru City Corporation at Pachanady, Karnataka.
The application is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item appearing in the daily newspaper dated 19.12.2023.
As per the news item, the residents of the village are worried about pollution of water in their wells as they are facing drinking water shortage. The report also reflects that cultivation of agricultural land in that area is affected and that contaminated water from the well even causes rashes on the skin and is creating health hazard.
The news item report raises a substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. Senthil Vel implead following as respondents:-
i. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board through its Member Secretary.
ii. Mangaluru City Corporation through its Commissioner.
iii. Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Mangaluru.
iv. Central Pollution Control Board through its Member Secretary.
Since the matter relates to the Southern Zone Bench, Chennai, therefore, the Bench transferred the matter to the said bench for further appropriate action. Registry is directed by the NGT to transfer the original record to the Southern Zone Bench, Chennai and listed the matter on 20.03.2024.