Four J'khand DMs fined for submitting incomplete reports on Ganga pollution

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The National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on four district magistrates in Jharkhand for submitting "incomplete reports" regarding the prevention and control of the Ganga's pollution.

The National Green Tribunal has taken up the matter of abatement of pollution in the Ganga and its tributaries and had sought specific information on the matter from Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

In February, the panel had imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on Jharkhand after noting that no report was filed from any district magistrate, who are heads of District Ganga Protection Committees.

In an order passed on April 10, a bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that compliance reports were received from Sahibganj, Dumka, Ranchi, Rajmahal, Giridih, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Ramgarh districts.

The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, however, said the reports from Sahibganj, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Ramgarh did not have the information as required and directed by the tribunal.

"There is clear non-compliance of the earlier order of the tribunal by these four district magistrates who have submitted their incomplete reports. Hence, we grant further four weeks time to these district magistrates to deposit a cost of Rs 10,000 each," the tribunal said.

The bench has posted the matter to July 19 for further proceedings.