GIL to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation for polluting Whitefield

BENGALURU: The Supreme Court has directed the Graphite India Ltd (GIL) to deposit Rs 50 lakh with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) within two weeks from Monday. The penalty has been imposed under ‘polluter pays principle’ for the unit located in Whitefield causing air pollution in the area.

The three members bench chaired by Justice Madan Lokur disposed the intervention application filed by Whitefield residents giving them the liberty to explore other legal remedies for the issue.

Members of Whitefield Rising, a community initiative, had filed intervention application with the SC in the original case of M. C. Mehta Vs Union of India & Others. The original petition was regarding permission to import needle petcoke, where as Whitefield residents had raised the issues of pollution caused by GIL.


Residents of Whitefield have welcomed the order and have called the court’s decision as the beginning of the fight. “So far we had the burden of proof, to prove that the GIL unit located close to residential neighbourhood is causing pollution. The SC has taken cognisance of the fact and has imposed penalty on the polluter. This will help us build the case now,” a member of Whitefield Rising said.

Meanwhile, GIL counsel Shyam Diwan has suggested that the penalty amount paid to KSPCB may be used for environmental betterment of Whitefield area. Whitefield residents have said that they would meet KSPCB chief and ensure that some of the amount is used for environmental protection in Whitefield.