The Hindu : Kerala News : `Polluter pays' principle hanging fire

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

`Polluter pays' principle hanging fire

Staff Reporter

PCB unable to foot the bill for rehabilitation projects

Staff Reporter

KOCHI : Implementation of the "polluter-pays" principle is hanging fire and the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) is unable to foot the bill for the various rehabilitation projects, the cost of which is to come from the penalty on the industrial units in Eloor and Edayar.

The stalemate has derailed the project for providing piped water connection to thousands of families in five wards of Eloor. Exactly six months after a directive issued by the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee (SCMC), work on the project is pending for want of support from the authorities.

In its order, the SCMC had asked the PCB to collect the cost for establishing the water connection from FACT, IRE, HIL and Merchem.

The direction had followed the findings that these industrial units were responsible for chemical contamination of water sources at Eloor.

The PCB, later, took a decision to collect Rs.35 lakhs each from the companies for implementing the project. The PCB was supposed to hand over the funds to Kerala Water Authority (KWA) by the end of March.

Sources in the PCB said that the project could not take off as scheduled after the companies objected to the individual share determined by the PCB. While Merchem had paid Rs.8.25 lakhs out of its due of Rs.35 lakhs, both FACT and HIL were yet to pay.

The PCB is planning to initiate coercive measures against IRE for its refusal to pay its dues. Merchem has asked the PCB to reduce its due.

FACT and HIL were asked to pay up by end-April, but both failed. The PCB has now handed over Rs.35 lakhs as advance fund to KWA for initiating work on the project.

Periyar rehabilitation

Delay in recovering the fine imposed on over 200 industrial units at Eloor for polluting the Periyar has affected the rehabilitation of the river.

The PCB has not been able to collect any money out of the Rs.2.5 crores collective fine imposed by the SCMC on these units for polluting the river.

The amount would be collected as a collective fine under Section 16 (3) of the Hazardous Waste Rules.

The PCB has not yet completed the work on determining the individual dues of the companies. It is likely that the process of recovering the cost would get delayed further. Industrial units will have to be given adequate time to present their case once the process of allocating individual dues is over.

The Board will have to seek approval from the Central Pollution Control Board before going ahead with the implementation of its proposal.

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