The southern bench of the NGT had ordered the fine after several wild animals were killed due to a broken power line, which the TANGEDCO had challenged.
The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed a review petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO) against its order of slapping a fine of Rs 75 lakh on the power company. The tribunal had taken up a suo motu case over the death of a wild elephant, four boars, a common mongoose, a stripe-necked mongoose, three cobras, and a crow in the Chungam forest division in Cherambadi forest area in Nilgiris district, reportedly due to a broken TANGEDCO line.
It observed that the TANGEDCO had not insulated the high tension wire, which led to the death of wild animals. The bench held the power utility responsible for the death of the animals and slapped a fine of Rs 75 lakh to be paid to the state forest department. The TANGEDCO then filed a petition challenging the order.
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Dismissing TANGEDCO’s plea, the NGT bench said that the points raised by the review applicant cannot be a ground for review unless they were able to establish that there was error apparent on the face of the record. The NGT also said that the tribunal had considered the petition and came to the conclusion that TANGEDCO has to pay compensation applying the theory of ‘strict liability principle’. “This tribunal had considered the portion of the Joint Committee report relied on by the review applicant and explained as to why the Tangedco was responsible to pay compensation applying the principle of res ipsa loquitur and strict liability principle,” The Hindu quotes the NGT bench as saying.
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Source: The News Minute