The National Green Tribunal has imposed fines on colleges and malls in Delhi which generate huge quantity waste and fail to treat sewage for not complying with environmental laws. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar imposed massive environment compensation on these erring bodies for not taking adequate protection for protection of the ecology.

The green panel imposed an environment compensation of Rs 25,000 each on Vivekananda Mahila College, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and Shyam Lal College and directed them to install antipollution devices within three months. In the event of default, these colleges would be liable to pay environmental compensation of Rs 5 lakh and shut down, it said.

The tribunal also slapped a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on the east- Delhi based Cross River Mall, Rs one lakh on Mahatta Towers Pvt Ltd and Rs 50,000 on Aggarwal Fun City Mall. They have been asked to deposit the amount within two weeks.

“The notices shall rectify and carry out all the deficiencies pointed out by the inspection committee and comply with the recommendations within three months. In the event of default, they shall be liable for further environmental compensation of Rs 5 lakhs and shall be subject to closure,” the bench said. The tribunal, however, posted the matter for hearing with regard to Delhi Technological University on September 8.

The green panel had earlier issued notices to major waste generators in the city including 5-star hotels, malls, hospitals, educational institutions with hostels and housing societies which have not complied with Solid Waste Management Rules 2016.

The NGT order had come after it perused an interim report submitted by a committee set up by it which had recommended action against defaulting bodies for improper management and treatment of sewage and lack of the mechanism to recycle waste.