Supreme Court defers hearing on plea challenging NGT's suspension of environmental clearance for establishing Solid Waste Management Facility in Bangalore

The Supreme Court has today deferred hearing in a plea challenging order of the National Green Tribunal, Chennai, suspending the operation of the environmental clearance granted by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for establishment of Municipal Solid Waste Management Facility

A divisional bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Sanjiv Khanna posted the matter for hearing after 2 weeks.

The environmental clearance has been granted by the SEIAA in favour of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for establishment of Municipal Solid Waste Management Facility at Bangalore South Taluk over an extent of 9.28 Acres which had been allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority and earmarked as a Civic Amenity Plot in a Housing Colony of over 25000 plots

Advocate ATS Raghvendra Sreyas appearing for the respondents sought some weeks time to file counter in the matter.

Whereas, Senior Advocate Brijender Chahar appearing for the petitioner contended, "Milords notice has been issued 10 months ago, a last opportunity may only be granted to the respondents."

The NGT order held that there was a material suppression of non-disclosure of the forest named B.M. Kaval Reserve Forest and siting criteria apart from imposing an environmental cost of Rs. 10 lakhs.

However, the plea states that there was no suppression. The records reveal that there is a forest called Thurahalli Gudda State Forest located in B.M. Kaval village and this aspect had been disclosed by the project proponent in Form-I.