Judiciary will act tough on polluters of environment: SC

New Delhi: The judiciary will show no leniency to those polluting environment or adversely affecting public health and aquatic life, said the Supreme Court on Friday in a hard-hitting judgment, while giving the green light to the prosecution of a carpet firm official after more than 20 years. “The message must go to all concerned persons, whether small or big, that the courts will share parliamentary concern and legislative intent of the Environment Protection Act to check escalating pollution level and restore the balance in our environment,” said a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam. Lapse of long period could not be the reason to absolve offenders from the trial, said the Bench and allowed an appeal by the UP Pollution Control Board challenging an Allahabad High Court order quashing its complaint against the firm and the managing officials. Despite repeated reminders for construction of an effluent treatment plant, Modi Carpets at Rae Bareli continued to discharge untreated industrial waste into river Sai and the board lodged a complaint with the trial court in 1984. The management of the firm approached the HC, which stayed the proceedings in 1985 and then in 2004 quashed the board’s complaint. Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Sathasivam said: “In a matter of this nature, particularly when it affects public health if it is ultimately proved, courts cannot afford to deal lightly with cases involving pollution of air and water.” SC transfers Tytler case to Delhi New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday transferred a defamation complaint case against former Union minister Jagdish Tytler from Ludhiana to the Patiala House courts in Delhi. The transfer of the defamation case filed by senior advocate H S Phoolka against Tytler was transferred by a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam, which took note of the politician’s apprehension that he might not get a fair trial in the Punjab city because of the prevailing hostile atmosphere against him there. The defamation case was filed by Phoolka after Tytler in a TV interview, given after the Nanavati Commission inquiring into the 1984 Sikh riots issued notice to him, accused the senior advocate of procuring false witnesses to blackmail him.

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