The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of ₹10.91 lakh on ‘mormilagai’ (dried buttermilk chilli) manufacturing units at Boliyamanur and surrounding villages in Dindigul district. The sum will be paid to six agriculturists for the damage done to their land.
The applicants said these units had discharged the residue salt in the ground, affecting the quality of the groundwater, making it unfit for consumption, and the fertility of the land with the high level of salinity in the water and the soil.
The Tribunal said it was seen from the various reports of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the joint committee appointed by the Tribunal that there was a large-scale damage to the soil as well as the water, which had become unfit for human consumption.
It noted that various reports submitted by the Pollution Control Board had showed that the directions issued to these units were adopted by most of them. Instead of the remnant salt being discharged into the ground, it was dried in an elevated solar pan. The dried salt was stored in plastic bags and given to a waste disposal facility that adopted a scientific method, it noted.
The Bench said the activities of these units had affected the environment and they were liable to payment of compensation. The loss of income could be assessed at ₹10,000 per hectare a year for five years. The six applicants were awarded various amounts based on the quantum of their land holdings.
