The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state government and the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) to submit “precise details” for implementing the recommendations of the court commissioner regarding prevention of the pollution caused by the textile industry in Balotra and its adjoining areas.
The NGT is hearing the case following the direction of the Rajasthan high court issued in 2014. Earlier in 2011, Digvijay Singh Jasol had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Rajasthan high court against the Balotra textile units polluting the Luni river. The high court had banned the discharge of treated or untreated effluent in the Luni river in 2012.
The NGT division bench, comprising Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and expert member Satyawan Singh Garbyal, had appointed an expert, Ajay A Deshpande, as the court commissioner and asked him to conduct an inspection in the matter and suggest remedial measures.
In his report, submitted to the NGT in May this year, Deshpande had stated that the textile units in Balotra, Bithuja and Jasol were polluting the surroundings, including Luni river. The court commission also recommended remedial measures to prevent the pollution.
During the hearing of the case on Friday, RSPCB member secretary KCA Arun Prasad submitted to the NGT an action plan and affidavit regarding implementation of the court commissioner’s recommendations, but the petitioner told the NGT that in its action plan RSPCB has not included “some other recommendations” made by the court commissioner.
{{/usCountry}}During the hearing of the case on Friday, RSPCB member secretary KCA Arun Prasad submitted to the NGT an action plan and affidavit regarding implementation of the court commissioner’s recommendations, but the petitioner told the NGT that in its action plan RSPCB has not included “some other recommendations” made by the court commissioner.
{{/usCountry}}“Nothing has been said about the damaged pipeline of Gandipura area, which transports effluent to the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) located at Bithuja village. As a result, the effluent is discharged into Luni river,” the petitioner argued.
Digvijay Singh, the petitioner, also brought out other issues such as seepage of hazardous pollutants in the ground water, pending RO plant at Bithuja, hazardous waste lying in the open at Bithuja CETP and unscientific disposal of hazardous waste before the court.
On behalf of the state government, additional advocate general Shivmangal Sharma told the NGT that the court commissioner’s recommendations were of varied nature, which would be implemented in a phased manner. He said that “some work” has already been started. He sought 10-day time to implement the recommendations and furnish the details.
The NGT asked the RSPCB member secretary to note down the points stated by the petitioner. “The State of Rajasthan is directed to give precise details for implementing the recommendations, including the one pointed out by the petitioner, with a time frame in which the implementation would be completed,” the NGT ordered.
The next hearing has been scheduled for August 23.