Haryana sets December 2020 as deadline for treating discharge, upgrade STPs

NGT issued the directions with regard to the case of Manoj Mishra versus the state of Haryana, which has been going on for four years. The case pertains to discharge of polluted water to the Yamuna through various drains, including the Najafgarh drain, in Gurugram.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday fixed December 2020 as the deadline for the Haryana government to upgrade its sewage disposal system by constructing sewage treatment plants (STPs).

Haryana’s two cities — Gurugram and Faridabad — were on the NGT’s radar for discharging polluted water into the Yamuna for years. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The NGT issued the directions with regard to the case of Manoj Mishra versus the state of Haryana, which has been going on for four years. The case pertains to discharge of polluted water to the Yamuna through various drains, including the Najafgarh drain, in Gurugram.

Haryana’s two cities — Gurugram and Faridabad — were on the NGT’s radar for discharging polluted water into the Yamuna for years.

“Chief secretary of Haryana will submit a time bound action plan to stop the discharge of untreated effluent into the storm water drains such as Leg I, Leg-II and Leg-III (Badshahpur Drain) leading to Najafgarh Drain as this has been pending with the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) despite assurance given by the state since July 2015,” noted the bench.

The NGT rejected the affidavit of the government, in which it had sought to fix the sewage disposal problem by December 2023, by upgrading its system.

“Till the time system is upgraded, it will start bioremediation of drains and existing STPs to improve wastewater quality from January 1, 2020, to avoid environmental penalty of Rs. 5 lakh/drain/month that will be deposited with the central pollution control board (CPCB),” said the bench.

The bench, headed by chairperson AK Goel, said that state’s plan to construct new STPs and upgrading existing STPs by December 2023 cannot be agreed to.

“We direct CS Haryana to take stock of the situation and complete all works by December 2020,” the bench said.

Gurugram, alone, discharges 80 to 100 MLD untreated water into the Najafgarh drain that flows into river Yamuna and pollutes its water.

“We will certainly follow the directions of the NGT,” said Lalit Arora, GMDA chief engineer, adding that a meeting of all stakeholders has been called on Monday, in which they will decide on the method to enforce the order.