The Madras High Court has set aside an order passed by National Green Tribunal’s southern zone bench in Chennai on July 20, 2023 directing six industries in Manali to create a corpus fund by depositing a minimum of 1% of their annual turnover for restoration of areas affected due to air pollution.
Justices S.S. Sundar and N. Senthilkumar set aside the order while allowing the writ petitions filed by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, Tamil Nadu Petro Products Limited, Manali Petrochemicals Limited, NTPC Tamil Nadu Energy Company Limited, North Chennai Thermal power station and Madras Fertilizers Limited.
Though the NGT had issued a slew of other directions too while disposing of a suo motu petition taken up by it in 2020 on the basis of a news report, the writ petitioners were willing to comply with all directions but for the one related to creation of corpus fund by depositing a minimum of 1% of their annual turnover.
