NGT dispose of plea on Kham River pollution

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) judicial member Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Dr Vijay Kulkarni, on Tuesday (March 21, 2023) disposed of the original application filed by a local citizen Suraj Ajmera.

The tribunal hopes that the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) will complete the laying of underground sewage pipelines as per the time-bound action plan submitted by it. Besides, the plan seems to fulfil the objectives and satisfies the applicant.

Ajmera has approached the NGT stating that the municipal corporation implemented the Sewage Upgradation and Development Project (SUDP), but the drainage waste is being released into the Kham River, which passes through the city, and it causes the severity of the pollution. Hence the river bed should be de-silted and cleaned up, he demanded.

Earlier, the NGT, in its previous hearings, had expressed displeasure against the civic administration stating that the claim of the CSMC that it will appoint a project management consultant (PMC) in 30 days and get ready the detailed project report (DPR) of SUDP from it is unclear. Besides, the time-bound action plan is not enclosed as was directed by NGT. The tribunal ordered the CSMC to submit the time-bound action plan. Adv Nilesh Dalal and Anuya Kulkarni represented the applicant.

Box

As per the NGT’s directives, the municipal corporation submitted the action plan on March 20, 2023. The affidavit stated that as per the demand the civic administration has completed the laying of 68 km long drainage pipeline instead of 50 as prescribed under SUDP. Besides, the Cidco Administrator had demanded 2.5 ML non-potable water (after treatment) every year. Hence the municipal corporation has sanctioned a no-objection certificate (NoC) to Cidco for lifting of the treated water, stated the affidavit.