EnvironmentFriday, 19 June 2026·The Hindu - Environment
Supreme Court upholds NGT ruling: landlord not liable for tenant’s environmental violations
The Supreme Court on June 8, 2026 upheld an NGT order that a landlord in Gujarat cannot be held liable for a tenant’s pollution violations.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On June 8, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld an NGT order that a landlord in Gujarat could not be saddled with liability for environmental violations committed by a tenant operating from the premises.
Key specifics
- The appeal was filed by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) against the NGT’s November 2025 order.
- The Board had ordered closure of the premises and environmental damage compensation of ₹25 lakh.
- The lease in Surat district was given in September 2020 to Suryaprakash Silaram Somani for a chemical unit.
- The Board’s interim compensation order was issued on October 16, 2021 under Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
- The Supreme Court Bench comprised Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Sanjeev Sachdeva.
Exam lens
Question type: Environment law and tribunal judgment, NGT, Section 33A, Water Act 1974, ₹25 lakh, Surat district; TNPSC may ask who can be held liable under pollution law when the owner is not the actual occupier.