Mumbai: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered Twenty One Sugar Factory Ltd to pay a hefty sum of over Rs. 1.67 crore as compensation for environmental damage and losses suffered by local farmers, reported Hindustan Times.
Respondent No1 (sugar factory) shall deposit the amount of EDC (environmental damage compensation) of ₹1,13,40,000 with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) within a period of two months from the date of uploading of this order,” the NGT stated in its order dated April 30.
Additionally, the tribunal instructed Twenty One Sugar to pay ₹54,43,955 to the Nanded district collector. This sum will be distributed among 31 farmers who reported crop losses due to the discharge of untreated waste and pollutants from the factory.
The NGT’s decision comes after hearing a joint petition filed by the 31 farmers. They accused the sugar factory of violating environmental regulations by releasing untreated waste into nearby agricultural land and water sources, causing significant pollution. The farmers sought compensation for their losses and demanded a halt to the factory’s operations until proper remedial actions were implemented.
Over the past two years of the hearing, the tribunal formed two joint committees to investigate the matter. One committee was tasked with assessing the environmental damage and determining the appropriate penalties, while the other focused on calculating the losses incurred by the farmers and the corresponding compensation.
The environmental damage assessment committee found several violations of environmental laws by the sugar factory. These included resuming production without the necessary consent to operate from the MPCB, continuing operations without installing a crucial condensate polishing unit, exceeding permissible limits for waste discharge and emissions, and accidental releases of effluent into the environment.
Based on these violations, the committee recommended penalties amounting to ₹1,19,40,000. The report specifically highlighted penalties of ₹11,70,000 for operating without the required consent and ₹46,50,000 for failing to install necessary treatment facilities. Further penalties were levied for exceeding discharge standards and accidental releases.
The tribunal’s final order was based on the findings of these two joint committees.
In their defense, the sugar factory informed one of the joint committees on December 21, 2023, that they had recently taken over the facility from Venkateshwara Agro Sugar Products Pvt Ltd and the DVP Group. The new owners stated that they had invested ₹7.92 crore to upgrade the existing environmental management system by implementing various improvements in their processes and waste management.
