The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took Suo Motu cognizance of the matter that pharmaceutical-induced environmental contamination needs urgent attention because around 43% of global rivers are facing risks from Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
The Petition is registered suo-moto on the basis of the Article dated 25.02.2024.
The continuous emissions are posing potential hazards to the environment and human health.
It also states that discussions on chemical waste reduction face limitations due to incomplete knowledge about their toxicity to humans.
It discloses that pharmacies sometimes cannot filter all the chemicals used in pharmaceutical production (e.g. solvents, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), excipients, additives, by-products, intermediates, etc.).
These chemicals cause ecosystem imbalances that give rise to chemical pollution in the environment.
The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms, especially by the pharmaceutical companies.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Since, it is a PAN India issue, therefore, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A Senthil Vel deemed it proper to implead the Chief Ministers , Member Secretary of all the states including Central Pollution Control Board , Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change , Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Dairying and Veterinary Science as respondents in the matter.
The Bench issued notice to the respondents, except the CPCB who is already represented through the Counsel, for filing their response at least one week before the next date of hearing disclosing the compliance of the norms by pharmaceutical company, the regulatory guidelines in force, number of pharmaceutical companies in each of the State and number of such companies complying with norms and number of companies against whom action is taken for violation of the norms as also the proposed action for prevention of environment from pharmaceutical toxicity.
Matter is listed by the Bench on 20.08.2024.