MONITORING COMMITTEE SET UP BY NGT TAKES SERIOUS NOTE OF DETERIORATING WATER QUALITY OF RIVERS

REVIEWS PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION PLAN FOR CLEAN RIVER SUTLEJ, BEAS & GHAGGAR WITH STAKEHOLDER DEPARTMENTS

Chandigarh, May 29, 2019: The Monitoring Committee constituted by National Green Tribunal under the Chairmanship of Justice Pritam Pal, Former Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court today reviewed the progress of implementation of Action Plans for Clean River Sutlej, Beas & Ghaggar with stakeholder departments.

In a review meeting held here, the Committee took a serious note of deteriorating water quality of rivers on account of non-functioning of the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) & Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). The Committee also reviewed the timelines for setting up of new STPs, CETPs & ETPs for the treatment of dairy waste.

According to an official spokesperson, the Committee directed all the stakeholder departments to adhere to the timelines given by NGT for execution of the Action Plans by March 31, 2021. The Committee also directed the Local Government Department to prepare a comprehensive plan for wastewater management of Ludhiana & Jalandhar city within 30 days by mapping all the industries and considering point & non-point sources of water pollution. Directions were also given to the Punjab Pollution Control Board for strengthening of mechanism for inspection of ETPs installed by the industries.

The Committee would also make surprise visits to the industrial units and take stern action against the non-complying units and also against the officer responsible for the same. The Committee also desired that the Department of Soil & Water Conservation would prepare plan for utilizing the treated sewage of STPs of Ludhiana and Jalandhar for irrigation. The Committee cautioned the Officers/Officials of concerned departments to discharge their duties diligently failing which disciplinary action would be recommended against the erring officers.

Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Principal Secretary Environment Rakesh Verma, Members of the Committee constituted by NGT including Former Chief Secretary Subodh Agrawal, Babu Ram and renowned environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, Director Rural Development & Panchayats Jaskiran Singh, Chairman PPCB Satwinder Singh Marwaha, Commissioner Ludhiana Municipal Corporation KS Brar, Additional Secretary Science Technology & Environment Keshav Hingonia and Additional Commissioner Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Sanyam Aggarwal.