Green Update

Tree TakeOct 23, 2019 12:00 AM

Pollution in western UP rivers: NGT directs chief secy to ensure potable water supply to villages

Observing that the Uttar Pradesh government has failed to make suitable alternative mechanism to deal with pollution in western rivers, the National Green Tribunal has directed the state chief secretary to ensure potable water supply to the affected villages in three weeks. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted that out of 148 villages, water supply has been made available in 41 villages only. With regard to the remaining villages, the work is still pending at various stages, it noted. The green panel directed the UP chief secretary to personally look into the issue of availability of potable water to the affected residents of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Bagpath and Ghaziabad districts. “The state has also failed to make suitable alternative mechanism to deal with the sensitive issue. In this background, the whole process now needs to be supervised by the chief secretary till alternative credible mechanism is established and adequate effective prompt action is taken. Let UP chief secretary look into the matter within three weeks, take action against erring officers and ensure further remedial action is taken in terms of augmenting water supply to such villages rather than whole issue getting stuck up in cumbersome bureaucratic procedures,” the bench said. The tribunal asked the chief secretary to file a compliance report through e-mail before the next date of hearing. “...in the event the chief secretary is unable to ensure the above, we may have no choice but to summon him to remain present in person,” the NGT said. The tribunal said that in spite of its repeated directions, the detailed project reports for supply of water are still at the approval stage. “The tender process is still pending with regard to various villages in respect of work of such urgent nature as supply of water in the area where large number of deaths and diseases have taken place in absence of clean ground water. Direction of this tribunal with regard to furnishing of performance guarantee of Rs 5 crore has not been complied with,” it said. The matter is listed for next hearing on October 21. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by NGO Doaba Paryavaran Samiti alleging pollution in Kali, Krishna and Hindon rivers. Observing that people have a fundamental right to clean air and water, the NGT had earlier directed the district magistrates of these six districts to submit an action plan for providing potable water to the villagers in a time-bound manner. The green panel had directed the UP government to immediately seal all hand pumps which are discharging contaminated water and sought an action plan to clean the Kali, Krishna and Hindon rivers. The tribunal had asked the state government to devise health benefit schemes for persons suffering from ailments caused due to drinking polluted water. The NGO had alleged that more than 50 villagers have died of cancer in western UP due to consumption of contaminated groundwater. It was alleged by the petitioner that groundwater in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Bagpath and Ghaziabad districts was being polluted as a result of effluent being released underground by reverse boring by the industries.

NGT directs authorities to stop mining operations in Ghaziabad suburb

Following a plea seeking remedial action against sand mining in a Ghaziabad suburb, the National Green Tribunal has directed authorities to ensure that the mining operations are discontinued. A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel said, “Authorities concerned may ensure that mining lease, environmental clearance and consent to establish and operate are cancelled in accordance with law and the District Magistrate may ensure that mining operations are discontinued in the absence of valid statutory provisions.” The NGT also directed the State pollution control board to recover environmental compensation as per existing norms. The directions came when the tribunal was hearing a plea moved by Vinod Kumar Tyagi who alleged that heavy mechanised mining was being carried out by the private company in violation of conditions mentioned in the mining lease, consent to operate and the conditions mentioned in the environmental clearance. During the hearing, the green panel observed that the mining lease given to a private company, Omkar Lakshmi Shubam Private Limited, was in violation of a September 2018 order of the tribunal without assessment by the State Environment Assessment Authority and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority. The green panel noted that a May 2019 report furnished by the State pollution control board had found “irregularities in peration of mining for which a penalty was imposed twice” under relevant rules.