SC – Institutional Framework & Uniform Guidelines for Environment Compensation
SC directs framing of Uniform National Guidelines and lays down Governing Principles for Determination of Environmental Compensation under Rule 18 of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
Supreme Court – A major outcome of the directions to the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to frame comprehensive and uniform guidelines for the determination imposition, recovery and utilization of the environmental compensation under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
Supreme Court has distilled eight guiding principles governing environmental compensation with the object of ensuring consistency, predictability, transparency and accountability in enforcing actions by environmental authorities across the country.
Rule 18 – Imposition of Environmental Compensation- The Environmental Compensation shall be levied based upon polluter pays principle, on persons who are not complying with the provisions of these rules, as per guidelines notified by the Central Pollution Control Board.
Analysis of these parameters shows that factors such as the geographical location of the polluter, the type of entity involved in the act of pollution or non-compliance, any undue advantage gained by the polluter and the health impact such pollution or non-compliance has on the 18 general public can be considered as principles for determining compensation.
Judgment dated 4.8.2026 of the Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No.4020 of 2020 of Amravati Municipal Corporation Vs. Ganesh Dadarao Anasane and others

