MAHARASHTRA Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has slapped an environmental compensation of Rs 24.5 lakh on Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board (MBDB) on Thursday for damaging the ecosystem in Gorewada forest due to an unauthorised bamboo processing plant. The National GreenTribunal (NGT ), in the month of September, directed MPCB to calculate the compensation amount in accordance with rules and proceed to realise the same within a period of two months.

Acting on the directives, MPCB, on Thursday, imposeda fine on MBDB for the ecological damage. The Board alsoordered MBDB to restore theforest area to its original shape. MBDB has been seven days’ time to pay the compensation. MPCB took the action underSection 33A of theWater (P&CP) Act, 1974 and 31A of the Air(P&CP) Act, 1981 andEnvironment Protection Act, 1986. Government of Maharashtrahad establishedMBDB in 2016 with aview to promote useof bamboo and itscultivation.

Without any clearance fromany concerneddepartment, MBDBestablished a chemical plant of bambooin Gorewada forest area. Theunit was being run without anypermission and license fromthe Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health and MPCB. Therefore, NGT slammedMBDB for violating the environment rules and directedMPCB to calculate the compensation against MBDB. The Tribunal bench comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Vijay Kulkarni, an expert member, allowed the application by an activist and ruled the activities taken up by the MBDB required permission from the Central Government because it is covered under non-forest purposes. In the previous hearing, MPCB had made it clear that, the MBDB failed to obtain ‘Consent to Establish’ and ‘Consent to Operate’ from it for the plant. A closure notice was also served to MBDB by MPCB in 2020.