Coming down heavily on the powers that be for shifting responsibility and not cleaning municipal waste from Hindon canal, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned throwing all kinds of waste into the canal saying its pollution is a matter of “serious concern”. Constituting a committee of officers and asking them to submit a status report, including remedial measures needed to stop pollution of Hindon, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said that the “prohibitory” orders on throwing of waste into the canal will equally apply to persons and public authorities, including Uttar Pradesh, through which the canal flows. It also directed the authorities to ensure that clean and decent environment is provided to the residents living along the canal.
The bench said that it is evident from the records placed in front of it that all public authorities without exception are shifting responsibility on some pretext or the other. “It is unfortunate that in a matter of environment and public health, the approach of the authorities should be such... We restrain and prohibit any corporation, authority, public body or any of its workers/officers from throwing any municipal solid waste and other waste into the Hindon canal,” the bench said.
The tribunal constituted a committee of officers nominated by DDA vice chairman, Commissioner of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), PWD, Delhi, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Uttar Pradesh Government and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
It said that the committee will conduct an inspection of the area and submit its status report, including the remedial measures that are required to be taken, for ensuring that no municipal solid waste or other waste is thrown into the canal. It directed all parties to appear before DDA vice chairman on May 12 while posting the matter for next hearing on May 25.
Advocates Balendu Shekhar and Vivek Jaiswal, appearing for EDMC, assured the bench that the municipal body will ensure the compliance of the order.
The tribunal’s direction came while hearing a petition filed by Vasundhara Enclave resident JP Sharma seeking directions to remove municipal waste from the canal. He alleged that besides municipal waste, construction waste and building debris are also dumped into the canal resulting in water and air pollution.