Pollution of Ghaggar river: Punjab, Chandigarh asked to act on suggestions of joint action committee
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Punjab government and Chandigarh administration to take action on the recommendations of the Joint Action Committee constituted to examine pollution of the Ghaggar river
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Punjab government and Chandigarh administration to take action on the recommendations of the Joint Action Committee constituted to examine pollution of the Ghaggar river.
The implementation will be overseen by the chief secretary in Punjab and the UT adviser in Chandigarh.
A joint committee of the Central Pollution Control Board, Punjab Pollution Control Board and Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) may monitor compliance, the NGT has ordered.
Notably, the NGT had already directed Punjab and UT to ensure that no solid waste is dumped into the N-Choe or catchment area, which is polluting the Ghaggar River, and STPs must have online monitoring system to monitor quality and quantity of wastewater being discharged.
The joint committee in its report with the NGT had submitted that Punjab and Chandigarh are required to sort out the issue and take appropriate action of laying of sewage network and its treatment in a time-bound manner.
Punjab is required to take action for collection and treatment of untreated sewage from villages of Mohali Area like Amb Sahib colony, Kambala, Papri, Manauli, Dairi, Kaura Majra, Chachu Majra, Saini Majra, Chau Majra, Nagiari, Ginemajra, Kalauli, Mote Majra, Hulka, Nadiali, Jhansali and many other villages of the Patiala region in the vicinity of the drain, which are discharging untreated sewage leading to the Ghaggar.
The committee has also recommended that immediate action is required to regulate dairies and gaushalas in villages of Chandigarh and Mohali by following the “Guidelines for Environmental management of Dairy Farms and Gaushalas” as per Orders of NGT
Respective local authorities/ urban local bodies of the Chandigarh administration and Punjab government are required to ensure that STPs are operated efficiently to achieve prescribed parameters without diverting untreated effluent into drains.
