MOSCOW, April 11 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court has held against the federal natural resources authority in its lawsuit against the Mosvodokanal water management company to recover $4.5 million for its unfavorable impact on the environment.

The watchdog holds that the company must pay 170.4 million rubles ($5.7 million) for its business activities in the first quarter of 2011, but paid merely 36.6 million rubles ($1.2 million).

The defendant argues that higher charges for environmental pollution are unlawful considering the absence of pollution limitations and contradict the procedure for their calculation.

In its response to the statement of claim, the defendant stressed that it had done its best to obtain pollution discharge limitations.

The court noted in its judgment that the overstated liability for pollution violates the law given the absence of established limitations.