No urgent hearing against Vedanta access to admin of Tuticorin plant: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined urgent hearing on a plea by the Tamil Nadu government challenging the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order allowing mining major Vedanta group access to the administrative unit inside its closed Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it will hear the plea next week.

The state government had on August 14 moved the apex court against the NGT order.

The NGT had on August 9 allowed Vedanta to enter the administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant, observing that no environmental damage would be caused by allowing access to the administrative section.

The tribunal, however, had said the plant would remain closed and the company would not have access to its production unit and directed the district magistrate to ensure this.

SC asks NGT to consider maintainability of Sterlite case against closure

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Tamil Nadu government's plea against the National Green Tribunal's order allowing mining major Vedanta access to the administrative unit inside its closed Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin and asked the NGT to "finally decide" the matter.

A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra said that the NGT would hear the matter on merits and also on the issue of maintainability raised by the state government.

"We may clarify that NGT may continue to hear the matter on merits and finally decide the matter on maintainability also. It is open for the state to argue on maintainability after which the tribunal will give its findings," the bench said.

ALSO READ: NGT allows Vedanta to access administrative unit of Sterlite plant in TN
The green tribunal had on August 9 allowed Vedanta to enter its administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant, observing that no environmental damage would be caused by allowing access to the administrative section.

Delhi: 2 MLAs tie mask on Gandhi statue, protest against unused green fund

Two Delhi MLAs today tied a protective mask on the statue of Mahatma Gandhi here, registering their protest against the Delhi government's "non- utilisation" of environment fund to combat air pollution.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra, before being stopped and detained by the police, managed to put on one mask on the statue of Gandhi and another on that of a woman at Gyarah Murti sculpture near Mother Teresa Crescent on Saradar Patel Marg.

The legislators were later released by the police.

Sirsa, a SAD-BJP MLA, said that it was "shocking" that the Kejriwal government collected Rs 787 crore of environment cess but spent only Rs 93 lakh out of it.

"People of Delhi are suffering from a serious crisis due to air pollution but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is busy in his dramatics and running away from every responsibility," Sirsa said.

Kapil Mishra is a suspended MLA of Aam Aadmi Party.

The Gyarah Murti sculpture including eleven statues depicts Dandi March of 1931, with Mahatma Gandhi leading men and women including some prominent leaders of the national freedom movement.
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Give info on 10-yr-old diesel trucks, proof of scrapping: NGT to oil firms

The National Green Tribunal has directed three public sector oil companies to submit complete information regarding 10-year-old diesel trucks they use to transport fuel and asked them to produce scrapping certificate to prove that they have dismantled their old vehicles.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed the senior-most officers from each company to be present before it on August 8.

"The counsel appearing for the petroleum companies, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, shall ensure that senior-most officers from each company to be present before the next date of hearing.

"They will provide complete detail with regard to vehicles, scrapping certificate should be placed before the tribunal. This would apply not only to the company, but to the contractors working with these companies," the bench said.

The green panel also directed the counsel appearing for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to take instructions as to when CNG would be made available in cities near the national capital.
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