NGT slaps compensation on SCCL for excess mining
The Hindu
Joint committee, TSPCB told to come up with further reports
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to pay environmental compensation for the excess coal mined from the JVR OC-I mine and extract coal only to the extent of environmental clearance. It has also made it clear that the company could go for additional quantity of coal extraction only after getting separate clearance for it. Hearing the proceedings in a petition filed by B. Nandu Nailk, O. Srinivas Reddy and others last week virtually on excess mining done by the Singareni leading to large-scale environmental harm, the Southern Zone Bench of NGT has directed the joint committee that investigated into the aspect to file further report by considering compensation to be paid by the mining company for the excess mining done already. The NGT Bench comprising Judicial member K. Ramakrishnan and expert member K. Satyagopal observed that seeking bank guarantee of ₹26.67 crore as performance guarantee for doing certain works is different from assessing environmental compensation for the violation of excess mining and both stand on a different footing.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.