National Green Tribunal
Charan Bhatt vs Maharashtra State Environmental ... on 20 January, 2025
Item No.11 (Pune Bench)
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
WESTERN ZONE BENCH, PUNE
[THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING (WITH HYBRID OPTION)]
Original Application No.196/2024 (WZ)
Charan Bhatt
.....Applicant
Versus
Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA & Ors.
....Respondents
Date of hearing: 20.01.2025
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH KUMAR SINGH, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. VIJAY KULKARNI, EXPERT MEMBER
Applicant : Applicant in-person
Respondents : Mr. Saket Mone, Advocate for R-1/MMRDA
Ms. Shakuntala Wadekar, Advocate for R-2/VVCMC
Ms. Pooja Natu, Advocate h/f
Ms. Manasi Joshi, Advocate for R-3/MPCB
Mr. Pushkal Mishra, Advocate for R-4/MoEF&CC
Mr. Aniruddha Kulkarni, Advocate for R-6/CPCB
ORDER
1. From the side of applicant, applicant has appeared in-person before us.
2. From the side of respondent No.1- MMRDA, learned counsel Mr. Saket Mone has appeared before us, who submits that he has not been served a copy of the present Original Application along-with annexures. Therefore, we direct the applicant to serve the same through e-mail within two days and thereafter, learned counsel for respondent No.1 may file reply affidavit in this matter within four weeks.
3. From the side of respondent No.2 - Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), learned counsel Ms. Sakuntala Wadekar has appeared, who prays for four weeks' time to be allowed to file reply affidavit in this matter. We allow the said time. Orally, she apprised us Page 1 of 2 that the issue involved in the present Original Application relates to setting up of ETP/STP, which is already pending consideration before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. But we are not inclined to accept any plea orally and direct her to submit the said fact in her reply affidavit.
4. From the side of respondent No.3- MPCB, learned counsel Ms. Pooja Natu, holding brief of learned counsel Ms. Manasi Joshi, has appeared and prays for two weeks' time to be allowed to file reply affidavit in this matter. We allow the said time.
5. From the side of respondent No.4- MoEF&CC, learned counsel Mr. Pushkal Mishra has appeared, who submits that no specific prayer has been made in this application against them, hence he would not be filing reply affidavit in this matter, but he would seek instruction from the Department whether to file reply affidavit or not, for which we allow two weeks' time.
6. From the side of respondent No.6- CPCB, learned counsel Mr. Aniruddha Kulkarni has appeared, who submits that he does not want to file reply affidavit in this matter.
7. None has appeared from the side of respondent No.5- Principal Secretary, Water Resource Department; respondent No.7- Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department; and respondent No.8- District Collector, Palghar. In the interest of justice, we grant them four weeks' time to file their reply affidavits in this matter.
Put up this matter for further consideration on 26.03.2025
8. Dinesh Kumar Singh, JM Dr. Vijay Kulkarni, EM January 20, 2025 Original Application No.196/2024 (WZ) P.Kr Page 2 of 2