The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to furnish an additional report within a fortnight concerning the pollution of the Hindon river, including the actions taken against erring municipal bodies.
Criminal Proceedings
Last December, the tribunal had instructed the UPPCB to initiate criminal proceedings against the officials in charge of municipal bodies in Saharanpur, Baghpat, Meerut, Shamli, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, and Muzaffarnagar for their failure to curb the pollution of the river, which serves as a crucial water source in the seven districts.
Reviewing the report dated May 3 submitted by the board, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava noted that the UPPCB’s counsel mentioned ongoing prosecution against officers of the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority in Gautam Buddha Nagar. However, no information was provided regarding the other municipal bodies, prompting the counsel to seek further instructions. Expressing dissatisfaction, the tribunal remarked that the Member Secretary of UPPCB should have complied with the directive to initiate criminal proceedings without fail, and any reasons for non-compliance should have been clearly stated in subsequent reports.
The tribunal also observed that while its earlier order mandated the initiation of criminal proceedings against all industries (approximately 357) discharging pollutants into the river, the report indicated action against only three. Additionally, certain details, including the water quality of the Hindon river and its tributaries, the performance of 19 sewage treatment plants (STPs), and the number of untreated drains in the seven districts, were omitted from the report.
Comprehensive Information
The tribunal emphasized the need for comprehensive information and directed the UPPCB to provide details regarding the number of drains joining the tributaries of the Hindon, along with disclosing the water quality analysis of STPs installed on the drains flowing into the river and the water quality of the Hindon itself in the next report.
Granting the UPPCB counsel’s request for a two-week extension to submit the additional report, the green panel scheduled the matter for further proceedings on July 11.
