The matter of non-utilisation of more than Rs 1000 crore deposited in the Environment Relief Fund has now reached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in this matter and sought their response. It has been alleged in the petition that till date no amount has been given to any beneficiary under this scheme made in the year 2008. The court also appreciated the efforts of the petitioner.
Supreme Court strict on relief fund of Rs 1000 crore
A bench of Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi heard a PIL on Tuesday. It has been alleged in the petition that the amount of more than Rs 1000 crore deposited in the Environment Relief Fund has not been utilized yet. On this, the court issued a notice to the Central Government and the Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and directed them to file a detailed reply on the entire matter.
What did the petitioner say, why did the court praise it?
On behalf of Jabalpur resident social activist Gyan Prakash, it was said in the court that this relief fund, which was lying dormant for years, should have been used to help the road accident victims. During the hearing, the Supreme Court appreciated the efforts of the petitioner and said that in this PIL filed in the year 2019, an important issue of alleged non-utilization of the Environmental Relief Fund has been raised. The court also noted that the amount appears to have been recovered under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act read with the Public Liability Insurance Act 1991.
Scheme made in 2008, but no one got benefit
The petitioner told the court that the Environment Relief Fund Scheme was made in the year 2008, but till now no amount has been distributed to any beneficiary under it. Citing the information given by the Central Government, the court said that till the year 2020, Rs 881 crore were deposited in this fund, which later increased to more than Rs 1000 crore. When the court was told that this fund is being operated by the Central Pollution Control Board, then the bench directed to file a detailed reply regarding the use or non-use of the fund.
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