West Bengal pollution: NGT imposes Rs 3,500 crore fine on Bengal for mismanagement of solid, liquid waste

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs. 3,500 crores on the West Bengal government for alleged mismanagement of solid and liquid waste, according to a media report.

“The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed Environmental Compensation of Rs 3500 crores on the state of West Bengal for allegedly not managing solid as well as liquid waste management causing harm to the environment,” ANI wrote on Twitter.

The NGT has empowered Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to lay down the methodology to assess and recover compensation for damages to the environment. Environmental compensation is a policy instrument for the protection of the environment which works on the Polluter Pay Principal, according to the CPCB.

Separately, the NGT has also imposed a Rs 5-crore penalty on the West Bengal government for “failing to comply” with its two-year-old directive to improve air quality in Kolkata and Howrah.