NGT directs Telangana govt to pay Rs 3,800 cr for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a penalty of Rs 3,800 crore on the Telangana government for its failure to treat solid and liquid waste.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said huge gaps exist in the management of solid and liquid waste in the southern state.

The bench, also comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, said the liability of the state for past violations had to be quantified on the "polluter pays" principle, to be utilised for the restoration of the environment.

Providing clean air, water, hygiene and environment have to be the top priorities for good governance, the bench said, adding that the state could not avoid its constitutional responsibility of providing a pollution-free environment.

Calculating the total environmental compensation to be paid by Telangana, the bench said the amount for the gap in the treatment of liquid waste or sewage is Rs 3,648 crore, while the compensation for the state's .