NGT flays expert panel report on Bengaluru wetlands

The National Green Tribunal has flayed an expert committee over its inspection report on the ecologically sensitive area on the land between Bellandur and Agara lakes in Bengaluru and directed all the members of the panel to visit the site afresh.
"Did you read our orders before going to the inspection site. You people have not been sincere which has given a bad impression before us. We rely on you people for deciding a case and you do not discharge your duty properly.
"We are pained that we had to request you to come here. Officers of your rank need not be troubled. We didn't write a 108-page judgement to be made a mockery of....The tribunal had very high expectations from the committee constituted of such senior officers and who are experts in their respective fields," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The green panel directed all the members of the committee to start proceedings in the presence of Dr D K Agrawal and Prof A R Yousuf, expert members of the tribunal.
Cracking the whip on two companies Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd and Core Mind Software and Services Pvt Ltd in Bengaluru, the tribunal had imposed Rs 117.35 crore and Rs 22.5 crore as damages respectively for carrying out illegal construction and degrading the environment.
A committee comprised an Advisor in MoEF dealing with the subject of wetlands, CEO of Karnataka Lake Development Authority, Chief Town Planner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Chairman of State Environment Appraisal Committee (SEAC) which had recommended environment clearance to the projects.

A scientist (ecology) from Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, a former Advisor to MoEF and a senior officer from National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee were also part of the committee that was constituted to make a survey of the ecologically sensitive area on the land between Bellandur and Agara lakes.
The tribunal took strong exception to the report and criticised the committee for non-compliance of the its directions.
"The High Powered Committee firstly did not file the report within the stipulated time and now when the report has been filed before the tribunal, we have no hesitation in observing that the report does not comply with the directions of the tribunal in its true spirit and substance," the bench said.