The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up the Kerala Environment department for its failure to submit a proper report on the action taken to protect the banks of the Bharathapuzha and rebuild its riparian habitat.
The Additional Chief Secretary had submitted a report dated September 1, 2022 as part of the suo motu case registered by the tribunal based on media reports that human interference, including burning of dry grassland, was taking a toll on the lifeline of the river.
“With regret, we have to record that this report does not mention about any of the decisions taken, though the order of this tribunal was to submit a half-yearly progress report. It is apparent that there is no progress for them to report,” said an order issued by the Bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati on September 5.
The tribunal said the report was bereft of any details, and that it only stated that the District Collector, Palakkad, had convened a meeting with other departments on July 8, 2022 and that certain decisions had been taken.
But the report is silent on the decisions taken, except that it has been decided to set up biodiversity committees in coordination with the Irrigation and Local Self-Government departments to stabilise the biodiversity of the river banks through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), it said.
The Bench reminded that no details had been furnished, though the report said a meeting had been convened by the Chief Secretary on August 5, 2022.
The tribunal has asked the Additional Chief Secretary, Environment department, to file a detailed report within four weeks on the implementation of the master plan to protect the river banks and ensure the rebuilding of the riparian habitat.
