- (1.) By its order dated 16 November 2018, the National Green Tribunal ("Tribunal") constituted a joint team of representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (MoHIPE), ARAI and NEERI to examine the Report submitted by ARAI and to furnish its expert opinion on whether the appellants have exceeded the prescribed environmental norms and to make a fair estimate of the damage caused to the environment. In the meantime, the appellants were directed to deposit an amount of Rs. 100 crores with the CPCB within a month.
(2.) On 14 December 2018, this Court directed that the civil appeals be listed on 7 January 2019 and extended time for effecting deposit in terms of the order of the Tribunal until 7 January 2019. On 7 January 2019, the attention of the Court was drawn to the fact that the Committee constituted by the Tribunal had submitted its Report on 24 December 2018. A copy of the Report was taken on record and was directed to be furnished to counsel for the parties in these proceedings. Accordingly, the further hearing was adjourned to 21 January 2019.
(3.) In the meantime, on 17 January 2019, the Tribunal passed an order noting that the deposit in terms of its order dated 16 November 2018 has not been made. The appellants furnished an undertaking that a deposit would be made by 5 p.m. on the following day. The Tribunal directed that the deposit may accordingly be made without prejudice to punitive measures being taken for the delay in deposit, in spite of there being no stay.;