SC stays NGT order directing UP govt to submit Rs 25 crore for failure to curb pollution in Agra

The Supreme Court has imposed an interim stay on the National Green Tribunal's order directing the Uttar Pradesh government to deposit Rs 25 crore as performance guarantee for its failure to manage waste in Agra and dumping of garbage in the Yamuna river.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta passed the order while admitting an appeal filed by the Uttar Pradesh government against the NGT's January 29 pronouncement.

"There shall be stay of the direction to furnish performance guarantee of Rs 25 crore to the satisfaction of the Central Pollution Control Board, in the meanwhile," the bench said.

The top court also imposed an interim stay on the action plan suggested by an NGT-constituted committee for municipal solid waste management.

The order came on an appeal filed by the UP government against NGT's January 29 order directing it to furnish a performance guarantee of Rs 25 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board.

Solid waste is being burnt in open on the roads at Agra cantonment railway station, heaps of uncleared garbage lying unattended and chocked drains are creating flood like situation, the NGT had said.

The tribunal's direction had come on the plea filed by Agra-resident D K Joshi and NGO Social Action for Forest and Environment (SAFE) seeking compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the city of Agra as well as the areas coming under the Cantonment Board and eco-sensitive zone of Taj Trapezium Zone.