Summary: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a complaint against the Tirunelveli Municipal Corporation for supposedly polluting the Thamirabarani River. Judge Sunder Mohan found the complaint to be misleading and not backed by facts.
The Tirunelveli Municipal Corporation and its Commissioner, A. Sivakrishnamurthy, were accused of letting sewage flow into the Thamirabarani River. The complaint, filed by S.P. Muthuraman, claimed they set up wastewater systems without getting permission, breaking pollution control rules.
This complaint wasn't the first time these issues came up. Back in 2015, S.P. Muthuraman went to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with similar worries. The NGT had already asked a group to look into the pollution and suggested temporary sewage treatment solutions like DEWATS.
"The Tribunal directed a committee to look into pollution issues and suggest solutions," noted Judge Sunder Mohan.
Judge Mohan pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) knew about the DEWATS installations. The Board had even checked them and suggested improvements, which went against the complaint's claims of unauthorized setups.
"The TNPCB had inspected DEWATS and suggested changes," the court observed.
The court found that S.P. Muthuraman's complaint ignored previous tribunal orders and ongoing efforts to deal with pollution. Judge Mohan criticized the complaint for hiding facts and misleading the court.
"The complaint is a misuse of the legal system," concluded Judge Mohan.
The court threw out the complaint, saying that the issues should have been handled through the NGT, not through a separate legal action. The decision ended the case against the Tirunelveli Municipal Corporation.
"The complaint is dismissed," ruled the court, ending this legal matter.
The ruling highlights the importance of being open and following the right steps, especially when it comes to environmental issues.
