5 months ago
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Zone, has directed Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) to taxable a broad study connected the disposal of endosulfan stocked successful 3 estates astatine Kasaragod district, and the resultant harm to groundwater successful the Karnataka-Kerala borderline areas.
The directions were passed aft Ravindranath Shanbhogue, a quality rights and user rights activistic from Udupi, filed an archetypal exertion seeking the removal of endosulfan cans dumped successful 5 abandoned wells successful Minchinapadavu Hillocks, wrong the Kerala border, adjacent Nettanige-Mudnur colony of Puttur taluk astatine Dakshina Kannada district. He had besides sought directions to Karnataka and Kerala governments to supply portable h2o to villages wherever traces of endosulfan had been recovered successful the groundwater. He had besides sought investigation of groundwater wrong a 5 kilometre scope of abandoned wells wherever PCK had illegally dumped endosulfan.
During the proceeding connected the exertion connected October 29, Mr. Shanbhogue’s counsel, Gaurav Kumar Bansal, submitted that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), successful its archetypal study connected January 1, 2024, reported astir “278 barrels of endosulfan, whereas lone 20 barrels were recovered” (as mentioned successful the NGT order). However, the latest CPCB study of July 16, 2025, “accounted lone for 69 barrels and recommended their disposal done incineration”. The counsel contended that the remaining barrels indispensable beryllium traced to afloat destruct the beingness of endosulfan successful the groundwater.
Regarding the Kerala State Pollution Control Board’s (Kerala SPCB) study that some Alpha endosulfan and Beta endosulfan were recovered lone astatine Below Detectable Limits (BDL), Mr. Bansal said h2o samples had not been collected from the required distances and that the sampling was superficial.
The NGT Southern Zone bench, comprising judicial subordinate Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and adept subordinate Dr. Prashant Gargava, connected October 29 said it volition beryllium due to nonstop PCK to jointly analyse the reports of the Kerala State, Kerala SPCB, and CPCB, on with their recommendations and the objections raised by the applicant, and behaviour a thorough study.
“Let a broad study beryllium submitted by PCK, which indispensable besides code the missing endosulfan barrels, immoderate harm caused by the beingness of endosulfan successful ungraded and water, and immoderate remedial measures required,” the seat added.
It clarified that each related expenses shall beryllium borne by PCK. The investigation shall beryllium carried retired successful the beingness oregon nether the supervision of the Kerala SPCB/CPCB. It was unfastened to the Kerala SPCB/CPCB to prosecute immoderate adept bureau successful this regard.
The seat further said that the study prepared by PCK, successful compliance with their directions, beryllium circulated successful beforehand to the applicant and different counsels to alteration them to record objections, if any. The seat posted the substance to January 9, 2026, for further hearing.
