Above: National Green Tribunal/Photo: Anil Shakya

Cigarette and bidi manufacturers have been hauled up by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a case filed activist organization Doctors For You which relates to the generation of hazardous cigarette and bidi butts, adversely impacting forest areas.

The issue is also about the adverse impacts of tobacco-spitting on the environment and ecology, impacts of plastic packaging of cigarettes on the environment and ecology and generation of municipal solid wastes.

On Thursday (January 11) the NGT bench headed by Acting Chairperson Justice U D Salvi asked to be informed that cigarettes are hazardous substances.

The counsel appearing for applicant submitted that they have submitted a report that cigarette butts contain several toxic chemicals and are known for being the most hazardous product created by human being, causing great harm to the environment.

The counsel appearing for the Tobacco Institute of India sought time to file a reply. He admitted that he had inspected the record and will the reply within two weeks. Advance copy of the reply be furnished to the applicant.

No reply filed by All India Bidi Federation.

Parties shall place all relevant documents in support of their case or in rival. No further time will be granted.

—India Legal Bureau