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2025 Supreme(Online)(NGT) 1227
NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL NEW DELHI (PRINCIPAL BENCH)
Mr. Prakash Shrivastava, CJ, Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM
Mahendra Singh – Appellant
Versus
State of Haryana & Ors. – Respondent
Original Application No. 667/2018 | Original Application No. 679/2018 | Original Application No. 599/2019 | Original Application No. 1385/2024
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Mr. Devesh Kumar Agnihotri
For the Respondents: Mr. Rahul Khurana, Mr. Vijay Chaudhary, Mr. Anju, Mr. Tarun Gupta, Mr. Hirday Virdi, Mr. Aman Bhalla, Mr. Saurabh Rajpal, Mr. Kapil Sagar, Mr. Somvir Singh Deswal, Mr. Abhishek Deswal, Ms. Pallavi Singh, Mr. Anuj Bhandari
The Tribunal established that stone crushers operating beyond permissible pollution limits must be closed, citing the polluter pays principle and the necessity for compliance with environmental regulations.
Headnote:(A) Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 - Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 - Violations by stone crushers in Mahendragarh District resulting in environmental harm - Tribunal directed closure of non-compliant units and imposed compensation as per polluter pays principle. (Para 15)
(B) Environmental Law - Courts are empowered to enforce environmental regulations and ensure compliance through necessary remedies. (Para 18)
(C) Carrying Capacity - Tribunal highlighted the importance of assessing the carrying capacity of an area to sustain activities without exceeding environmental limits. (Para 24)
(D) Right to Clean Environment - The right to fresh air is inherent to the right to life and cannot be compromised by industrial activities. (Para 25) (E) Procedural Fairness - Tribunal emphasized adherence to principles of natural justice in imposing penalties and compensations. (Para 26) (F)
Findings of Court:
Tribunal noted serious violations by 343 stone crushers and ordered immediate compliance measures including installation of monitoring stations. Resultant penalties were fixed at Rs. 20 lakhs per unit for past violations based on pollution assessments. (Paras 7-18) (G)
Issues: The primary issues included the illegality of stone crushers in critical pollution zones, imposition of environmental compensations, and the need for compliance with environmental norms. (Paras 9-12) (H)
Ratio Decidendi: The court found that operational stone crushers exceed allowable pollution limits, resulting in detrimental health consequences, thereby necessitating their closure and strict regulatory measures. (Paras 24-28) (I)
Result: The Tribunal ordered the closure of non-compliant stone crushers and imposed significant environmental compensation, ensuring measures to restore compliance and environmental health. (Para 30)
Item Nos. 04 to 07 Court No. 1 BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI Original Application No. 667/2018 (IA NO 372/2023, IA NO 362/2023, IA NO 346/2023, IA NO 357/2023, IA NO 278/2023, IA NO 371/2023, IA NO 120/2023, IA NO 284/2023, IA NO 370/2023, IA NO 376/2023, IA NO 353/2023, IA NO 327/2023, IA NO 381/2023, IA NO 160/2024, IA NO 338/2023, IA NO 360/2023, IA NO 713/2023, IA NO 326/2023, IA NO 392/2023, IA NO 288/2023, IA NO 107/2023, IA NO 379/2023, IA NO 336/2023, IA NO 325/2023, IA NO 380/2023, IA NO 355/2023, IA NO 436/2023, IA NO 330/2023, IA NO 382/2023, IA NO 696/2023, IA NO 364/2023, IA NO 343/2023, IA NO 359/2023, IA NO 124/2023, IA NO 122/2023, IA NO 369/2023, IA NO 694/2023, IA NO 718/2023, IA NO 321/2023, IA NO 674/2023, IA NO 385/2023, IA NO 345/2023, IA NO 361/2023, IA NO 394/2023, IA NO 697/2023, IA NO 797/2023, IA NO 683/2023, IA NO 386/2023, IA NO 365/2023, IA NO 280/2023, IA NO 276/2023, IA NO 272/2023, IA NO 695/2023, IA NO 331/2023, IA NO 366/2023, IA NO 347/2023, IA NO 352/2023, IA NO 95/2023, IA NO 395/2023, IA NO 358/2023, IA NO 339/2023, IA NO 335/2023, IA NO 363/2023, IA NO 348/2023, IA NO 374/2023, IA NO 162/2024, IA NO 340/2023, IA NO 378/2023, IA NO 373/2023, IA NO 337/2023, IA NO 396/2023, IA NO 761/2023, IA NO 384/2023, IA NO 389/2023, IA NO 341/2023, IA NO 143/2025, IA NO 349/2023, IA NO 286/2023, IA NO 391/2023, IA NO 99/2023, IA NO 356/2023, IA NO 739/2023, IA NO 390/2023, IA NO 282/2023, IA NO 274/2023, IA NO 97/2023, IA NO 328/2023, IA NO 324/2023, IA No 350/2023, IA NO 329/2023, IA NO 333/2023, IA NO 342/2023, IA No 387/2023, IA NO 723/2023, IA NO 344/2023, IA NO 334/2023, IA No 383/2023, IA NO 367/2023, IA NO 351/2023, IA NO 388/2023, IA No 375/2023, IA NO 354/2023, IA NO 332/2023, IA NO 438/2023) Mahendra Singh Applicant Versus State of Haryana & Ors. Respondent(s)
WITH Original Application No. 679/2018 Tejpal Applicant Versus State of Haryana & Ors. Respondent(s)
WITH Original Application No. 599/2019 Bishamber Singh Applicant Versus State of Haryana & Ors. Respondent(s)
WITH Original Application No. 1385/2024 News item titled "living under a dust blanket" appearing in The Hindu dated 05.12.2024 Date of hearing: 03.07.2025 Date of Uploading: 21.07.2025 CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER Applicant: Mr. Devesh Kumar Agnihotri, Adv. for Applicant in OA 679/2018 Respondents: Mr. Rahul Khurana, Adv. for R - 1 to 8 with Mr. Vijay Chaudhary, RO, HSPCB, Mahendergarh & Mr. Anju, AEE, HSPCB, Mahendergarh in OA
667/2018 & OA 679/2018 Mr. Rahul Khurana, Adv. for the State of Haryana & HSPCB with Mr.
Vijay Chaudhary, RO, HSPCB, Mahendergarh & Mr. Anju, AEE, HSPCB, Mahendergarh in OA 599/2019 Mr. Tarun Gupta & Mr. Hirday Virdi, Advs.
Mr. Aman Bhalla, Adv. for CPCB in OA 599/2019 (Through VC)
Mr. Saurabh Rajpal, Adv. for R - 33 in OA 667/2018 Mr. Kapil Sagar, Adv. in I.A No. 143/2025 Mr. Somvir Singh Deswal & Mr. Abhishek Deswal, Advs. in I.A No.
120/2023 Ms. Pallavi Singh, Adv.
Mr. Rahul Khurana, Adv. for R - 1 & 4 with Mr. Vijay Chaudhary, RO, HSPCB, Mahendergarh & Mr. Anju, AEE, HSPCB, Mahendergarh in OA
1385/2024 Mr. Anuj Bhandari, Adv. for CPCB in OA 1385/2024
ORDER
1. These original applications relate to violation of environmental norms under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act , 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act , 1974 by the stone crushers operating in Mahendragarh District in Haryana. There is an allegation that the air quality in the area does not have the assimilative capacity to sustain them resulting in serious environmental harm and ill effect on public health.
2. In OA No. 667/2018, the allegation of the Applicant is as against the setting up of a stone crusher unit in Village Karota, Tehsil Narnaul, District Mahendragarh, Haryana by Respondents No. 9 and 10 in violation of the siting criteria in the range of Aravali hills and its plantation. The Applicant has also all
