Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101060201200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Particulars of consent available at TNPCB library

Sruthi Krishnan

These consents
were granted to industries in SIPCOT in Cuddalore and Mettur

CHENNAI: The public can now inspect particulars of the consent to establish and the consent to operate granted to industries in SIPCOT in Cuddalore and Mettur in Salem by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. These particulars are available at the Board’s library. These consents are granted by the TNPCB to ensure that industries adhere to laws for environmental protection.

This information was requested by Nityanand Jayaraman, an activist, who had filed a petition under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, in which he asked the Board to make available information for the public to inspect. The order by the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission was issued on July 19, 2008.

In the petition, Mr. Jayaraman had requested information on consent to operate and consent to establish for industries in all districts of Tamil Nadu. The TNPCB has only provided names of industries in Tamil Nadu, without any other detail, that have been given consent to establish and consent to operate, on the Board’s website. Mr. Jayaraman contended that this information proves inadequate and that all particulars need to be provided, not just the names, for all districts.

Mohan Naidu, Public Information Officer at TNPCB, said that according to Section 4(i)b(xiii) of the RTI Act, which states that every public authority shall publish ‘particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it,’ the Board has provided the names of all industries. Mr. Naidu said that talks were going on with the National Information Commission (NIC) to make all records electronic and load them on to the website. He said this process would be completed soon. Meanwhile, he said the Board would furnish any information needed on consent to operate and consent to establish.

Authorisation under Hazardous Waste Management rules for companies in all districts of Tamil Nadu has also been provided in the library.

Section 4 of the RTI Act requires that disclosure of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by the public authority should be made available to the public.

The Section also requires every public authority to provide information at regular intervals by various means of communications, including the internet.