SC stays NGT order imposing penalty of Rs 15 cr on Coca-Cola bottling unit

The tribunal order followed a complaint by a resident of Ghaziabad against the bottling units saying that they had not obtained NOC from the Central Ground Water Authority

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that had imposed a penalty of Rs 15 crore on two Indian bottling units of US beverage major Coca Cola for causing environmental damages.

The interim relief to the Coca Cola’s Indian bottler, Moon Beverages, has come after it app-roached the apex court seeking urgent hearing to decide whether the concept of a deemed extension of a no-objection certificate (NOC) could be said to be in contrast to the environmental jurisprudence under Indian laws. A bottler unit of PepsiCo also challenged the NGT order on similar grounds.