Noida and Delhi still discharging untreated effluent into the Yamuna

The National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of 100 crores on Noida Authority and 50 crores on Delhi Jal Board. This fine has been imposed for releasing the polluted water into the drains, which later flow into the Ganga and Yamuna.

The order was in response to a plea filed in 2018 by Abhishta Kusum Gupta, a resident of Noida Sector 137. According to Abhisht, Ghaziabad and Delhi are discharging untreated water into the Kundli and Shahadra drains. These drains are polluting the water of Yamuna and Ganga.

The NGT had ordered the municipal corporations of both the states to stop discharging untreated water into drains at the earliest. But the report of samples taken by the Pollution Control Board show, that still the quality of water in these drains is poor.

The NGT has also directed the Central Pollution Control Board to issue directions to the pollution control bodies of every state not to discharge untreated water into canals, water bodies and natural storm water drains within two months. All water bodies should be geo-tagged and issued a unique identification number.

The tribunal said that 30 drains have been identified in Noida which are to be diverted to the Existing Sewage Treatment Plant and not to the Noida drain, where these are being discharged at present. Out of 95 group housing societies, 56 are still such where sewage treatment plants are not installed.

Noida administration says that treatment plant is operational in 77 societies but the rest of the societies are either old or people are not living here now. They are seeing what can be done according to their jurisdiction. Delhi Jal Board can challenge this order of NGT in the Supreme Court.

The court’s observation was based on reports submitted by the UP Pollution Control Board as well as the Noida authority itself. Water samples taken on five different occasions by UPPCB from the Noida drain shows that the water was blackish, smelled unpleasant, and did not meet the standards.

It is already seen that Governments are just giving big advertisements for cleaning Ganga and Yamuna but on the ground, they are not been able to treat sewage water.

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