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1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JUNE 2014 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR.D.H.WAGHELA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE H.G.RAMESH WRIT PETITION NOS.10249-10251/2014 (GM-RES-PIL) BETWEEN : 1.YELAHANKA NEIGHBOURHOOD ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST HAVING ITS ADDRESS AT 6TH BLOCK, 001, HERITAGE ESTATE DODDABALLAPUR ROAD, YELAHANKA BANGALORE-560064, REP BY ITS CHAIRMAN/MANAGING TRUSTEE MR.VISWANATHAN KANNAN 2.SOBHA ALTHEA & AZALEA APARTMENT OWNER'S ASSOCIATION HAVING ITS ADDRESS AT: HAROHALLI (OFF DODDABALLAPUR ROAD) YELAHANKA HOBLI BANGALORE NORTH TALUK BANGALORE-560064 REP BY ITS PRESIDENT/SECRETARY MR.SRIRAM VENKATASUBRAMANIAM. 3.HERITAGE ESTATE APARTMENT OWNER'S ASSOCIATION, HAVING ITS ADDRESS AT: DODDABALLAPUR ROAD, YELAHANKA BANGALORE-560064 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT DR.SRINIVASIAH MURALIDHAR ... PETITIONERS (BY SMT GAYATHRI BALU, ADV., FOR M/S.KHAITAN & CO., ADVS.,) 2 AND 1.KARNATAKA POWER CORPORATION LTD (KPCL) HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT: SHAKTI BHAVAN, NO.82, RACE COURSE ROAD BANGALORE-560001 ALSO HAVING ADDRESS AT: DG PLANT, SINGANAYAKANAHALLI POST YELAHANKA, BANGALORE-560064, REP BY ITS SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER (ELECTRICAL) 2.KARNATAKA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (KSPCB), REP BY ITS MEMBER SECRETARY "PARISARA BHAVAN", # 49, 4TH & 5TH FLOOR CHURCH STREET, BANGALORE-560001 3.STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY VIDHANA SOUDHA, DR.AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BANGALORE-560 001 4.STATE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER KARNATAKA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD "PARISARA BHAVAN", #49, 4TH & 5TH FLOOR CHURCH STREET, BANGALORE-560001 ... RESPONDENTS (BY SMT NILOUFER AKBAR, AGA FOR R-1 & 3; SRI V Y KUMAR, ADV., FOR R-2 & 4) THESE WRIT PETITIONS ARE FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT RESPONDENT NO.1 TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ITS DG PLANT PREMISES SITUATED AT SINGANAYAKANAHALLI POST, YELAHANKA, BANGALORE-560064 AND ETC., THESE WRIT PETITIONS COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, CHIEF JUSTICE MADE THE FOLLOWING: 3 ORDER
D.H.WAGHELA, CJ (Oral)
1. Learned counsel Mr.V.Y.Kumar appears for respondent Nos.2 and 4.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioners fairly conceded that out of the prayers made in last paragraph of the petitions, only prayers (k) and (l) are surviving, in view of the fact that 1st respondent's plant at Yelahanka, Bangalore, has been closed since 24.08.2013 and the consent given to the plant earlier under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 have since then not been renewed. As far the prayers contained in (k) and (l), the petitioners propose to have the petitions transferred to the appropriate Bench of the National Green Tribunal for appropriate adjudication.
3. Learned counsel for the respondents having no objection, the petitions are disposed as transferred to the National Green Tribunal, with liberty to the petitioners to apply for suitable amendments to the petitions. The Registry shall do the needful for transferring the petitions to the Chennai Bench of the National Green Tribunal, as 4 early as practicable. Accordingly, the petitions stand disposed as far as this Court is concerned. It is further clarified at the instance of learned counsel for the petitioners that in case the plant in question resumes its operation, it would be a fresh cause of action for the petitioners or any other affected body if its operations are carried on in violation of the provisions of the environmental laws.
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