The National Green Tribunal has ordered issuing notices to Chief Secretaries of all States and the Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), pointing out that a 2021 order of the Green Court on cleaning polluted river stretches has not been implemented till now.
In the 2021 order, the Green Court directed that all States and UTs may address gaps in the generation and treatment of sewage or effluents by ensuring the setting up of the requisite number of functional Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), as directed by the Supreme Court.
The order had also said that the MoJS may devise an appropriate mechanism for more effective monitoring of steps for control of pollution and rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches in the country. “Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs and PCBs (Pollution Control Boards)/PCCs (Pollution Control Committees) must work in mission mode for strict compliance of timelines,” the order had mentioned among others.
In an order dated October 9, 2023, the NGT said, “The material pointed out by the applicants indicate that the order of the Tribunal has not been implemented by all the States in true letter and spirit till now. Hence, we issue notice to Chief Secretaries of all the States and Secretary MoJS with the direction to submit the report in respect of compliance of above order of the Tribunal.”
The green court was hearing an execution application by applicants seeking execution of the earlier order of the NGT.
The applicants pointed out that different states including Assam, Bihar and Tripura are not treating all sewage generated. The applicants said that Assam does not have the facility to treat 437.23 MLD (Million Litres per Day) of sewage generated.
“He (applicants) has also referred to the minutes related to Tripura and has submitted that out of total sewage generation of 82.4 MLD, sewage treatment capacity exists only for 8.72 MLD. Thus, having a huge gap of 73.68 MLD in the sewage treatment,” the order said.
The matter is now listed for December 13.
