Elehant case railway track full order of V.BHARATHIDASAN.J. AND N.SATHISH KUMAR.J. (Order of this court was  made by V.BHARATHIDASAN.J.)

  • (MD).Nos.7606 of 2017, 3633 of 2014, 13763 of 2016

&

W.P.Nos.15120 & 15124 of 2019  and

W.M.P(MD)Nos.10949 of 2016, 10267 of 2016 &

W.M.P.Nos.15106, 15109, 15111 & 15112 of 2019

& M.P.(MD)No.1 of 2014 V.BHARATHIDASAN.J.

AND

N.SATHISH KUMAR.J.

(Order of this court was  made by V.BHARATHIDASAN.J.)

Thiru.S.Visakan, I.A.S., District Collector, Dindigul District, appeared today through video conference and filed a report listing out various measures taken by the District Administration for preventing the sale and use of one time use and throwaway plastic items and for collecting the plastic items at the entry points in Kodaikanal. The learned counsel for the respective petitioners, however, submitted that no effective measures have been implemented by the District Administration so far.

  1. Insofar as Coimbatore District, Dr.G.S.Sameeran, I.A.S., District Collector appeared through video conference and filed a report regarding provision for establishing banned plastic items collection points at Ooty entry points. The learned counsel for the respective counsel besides the other counsel who are interested in the protection of environment submitted that both the collections point established at Coonoor Road and Kothagiri Road are not functioning effectively and adequate staff have not been provided at check points.
  2. R.Keerthy Priyadharshini, District Revenue Officer, The Nilgiris i/c District Collector, The Nilgiris District also appeared through video conference and filed a report. According to the report, the District Administrative has provided adequate man power by deploying Ex-servicemen at all check-posts in the Nilgiris District.  As far as installing Water ATMs is concerned, the report states that District Administration has provided 32 Water Purifiers on State Highways, 14  on National Highways and in all 46  Water Purifiers and apart from the above, 22 Water Purifiers have been installed at conspicuous places / tourist locations in the Nilgiris District. Insofar as ban on sale of water and soft drinks in plastic bottles and other plastic items is concerned, the District Administration has made wide publication in press and mass media regarding prohibition of sale of banned plastic items and imposition of penalty for the violation of rules. The District Administration also took steps to sell alternative  bottles / containers like steel containers, copper bottles and permissible containers to the tourist and public at entry points of the District. The report also details the other measures taken by the District Administration to implement the ban on one time use plastic effectively.  It is also stated in the report that the District Police authorities also provided adequate man power to monitor.
  3. Insofar as the establishment of Water ATMs is concerned, as of now, hardly 66 Water Purifiers have been provided in the Nilgiris District and they are not sufficient to cater the needs of the tourists, because more than a lakh of tourists visit Ooty every day during season. The District Collector, The Nilgiris is expected to install more number of Water ATMs.
  4. We appreciate the District Administration of The Nilgiris Districts for having taken steps to effectively implement the ban on one time use and throwaway plastics.
  5. The District Collectors of The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur andDindigul District are required to convene meetings separately with Industrial Associations and the interested NGOs in their respective Districts and encourage them in providing Water ATMs in The Nilgiris District.
  6. At this juncture, Mr.Murali Kumaran, the learned counsel, who was connected in video conference has voluntarily come forward to provide 10 Water ATMs at his cost and also assured this court that he would coordinate with the other Educational Institutions in Ooty and Industrial Establishments in Tiruppur and Coimbatore Districts for the installation Water ATMs in The Nilgiris District.
  7. We appreciate the learned counsel for having readily come forward on his own to install 10 Water ATMs. We request Mr.Murali Kumaran to coordinate with the other Educational Institutions in Ooty and Industrials Establishments in Coimbatore and Tiruppur Districts and appraise them of their corporate social responsibility and encourage them in setting up Water ATMs and to take care of their maintenance.
  8. It has also been brought to our notice by Mr.T.V.Suresh Kumar, thelearned counsel that a company is purchasing used plastic and glass bottles and other metal articles for recycling purpose through ATMs and it is located in Delhi. Therefore, the learned counsel is directed to contact such companies and ascertain their willingness to extend such facilities in Ooty and Kodaikanal.
  9. In the light of the above submissions and the developments, this court decided to pass the following order:-
  • District Collector, Dindigul:-
    • The District Collector, Dindigul District, is directed to file a detailed report regarding the infrastructure and the facilities including the man power provided for the collection of one time use plastic items at both Batlagundu and Palani Ghat Roads in Dindigul District which are entry points to reach Kodaikanal in Dindigul District.
    • Insofar as Kodaikanal Township is concerned, the

District Collector is directed to verify as to how many Water ATMs have been installed and out of which how many are in working condition.

  • The District Collector is directed to personally inspect the Kodaikanal Town and ensure the ban on sale and use of plastic items are strictly implemented in Kodaikanal District.
  • The District Collector, Dindigul is further directed to submit as to how much quantity of banned plastic items were collected at both the entry points by the District Administration.
  • The District Collector is also directed to submit their suggestions, if any, for the effective implementation of banned plastic items in Kodaikanal.
  • District Collector, Coimbatore:
    • The District Collector, Coimbatore, is directed to visit personally the check points at Coonoor Road and Kothagiri Road, and also the check point at Karamadai – Manjoor Road which leads to Ooty and see that adequate infrastructure including man power and plastic shredder machines are provided for the check points for the collection of banned plastic items. The District Collector is also requested to engage Industrial Establishments and Non Governmental Organizations  in Coimbatore Districts in this regard.
  • District Collector, The Nilgiris:
    • The District Collector, The Nilgiris, is directed to conduct a survey and file a report on the number of Water ATMs required to be installed in The Nilgiris District on or before the next date of hearing.

The report from the respective District Administrations as directed above shall reach the Registry on or before the next date of hearing.

Post these matters on 11.03.2022. The District Collectors of The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Dindigul Districts are directed to appear before this court through video conference on that date.

     [V.B.D.J.]          [N.S.K.J.]

03..02..2022

kmk

V.BHARATHIDASAN.J.

AND

N.SATHISH KUMAR.J.

Kmk

W.P.(MD).Nos.7606 of 2017,

3633 of 2014, 13763 of 2016

&

W.P.Nos.15120 & 15124 of 2019

03..02..2022

You may also like...