Residents of Govandi, represented by the NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society, have filed a fresh petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), addressing alleged environmental violations and health hazards caused by SMS Envoclean’s biomedical waste incinerator located in their vicinity. The petition in NGT has sought Environmental Damage Compensation (EDC) based on “continuous violations from June 29, 2018, and February 2, 2023”, which locals allege has caused significant health issues among the residents, including respiratory diseases and tuberculosis.

This petition comes after the Bombay High Court, on September 11, 2023, ordered the relocation of the biomedical waste incinerator to an industrial area within two years. The court also advised the petitioners to approach the NGT for environmental compensation under the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle. Following this, the residents filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court seeking compensation for environmental damage. However, the PIL was dismissed, and the court directed them to the NGT for further adjudication on the compensation matter.