The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on January 30 imposed an environment compensation of ₹10 lakh on the Rajasthan government for failing to control the discharge of domestic sewage into a river in Jodhpur.
A bench headed by NGT acting chairperson U.D. Salvi, lambasted the State government for displaying a “casual attitude” towards the matter and not taking appropriate measures to mitigate the damage to the environment.
“The affidavit or response of the State government dated August 23, 2017, reveals that a 50 MLD capacity of sewage treatment plant at Silvassa, Phase II, was to be constructed and commissioned in a month. As of now, the said STP is yet to be commissioned. This shows the casual attitude of the State government which will have deleterious effects” the bench said.
ADVERTISEMENT
‘Incomplete projects’
Further, the NGT observed that the sewage treatment plants at Silvassa and Bansi Banda were still incomplete. “The village Doli and Araba continue to suffer from the effects of unregulated discharge of domestic sewage and trade effluents in river Jojri ... the soil as well as the ground water is contaminated” it said
Coming down heavily on the State government, the tribunal directed it to pay 25% of the amount to the Central Pollution Control Board and 75% of the amount to the State Pollution Control Board.
ADVERTISEMENT
Aggrieved party
The directions came while the NGT was hearing a plea filed by the Gram Panchayat of Araba village, which claimed that the authorities had not taken active steps to treat the domestic waste which had accumulated. Further, it was alleged that there was unregulated discharge of domestic and industrial sewage in the river Jojari.