SC seeks report on Yamuna pollution in Delhi

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 1/21/2021 12:00:33 AM

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Concerned over pollution in the Yamuna river in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the National Green Tribunal (NGT)-appointed committee for river monitoring to submit its recommendations to improve the quality of the river water and the extent to which they have been implemented.
Posting the hearing after two weeks, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde also made the committee a party in the suo motu case initiated by the court on its own on the "remediation of polluted rivers."
Senior advovate Meenakshi Arora, who is an amicus curiae to assist the top court in the case, said former Chief Secretary of Delhi , and expert member of NGT was part of a committee formed by NGT in 2018 to look at the pollution of the river yamuna. She urged the court to call for the committee's report.
The top court also asked the Haryana govermment to file its response within two weeks on a petition filed by Delhi Jal Board, seeking directions to the Haryana government for ceasing the discharge of untreated effluents, resulting in a rise of ammonia levels in the river water. It also sought response from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
Senior advoates Shyam Divan, appearing for the Haryana govermment, contended that the petition filed by Delhi Jal Board was not maintainable and there are many facts which need to be disputed. Divan said no one wants pollution, the whole notion being projected that it is due to Haryana's acts is wrong.
In the last hearing Arora had told the court that Yamuna river water is the source of supplying drinking water to major areas in the Dellhi and therefore, the rising ammonia levels in the river water are harmful and deadly for the citizens of Delhi, while adding that ammonia when mixed with chlorine will cause cancer.
"Deterioration of quality of fresh water has a direct correlation with the quality of public health. It is an acknowledged fact that pollution of water supplies by sewage effluents has been and still is a major cause of variety of diseases and discomforts," the Bench had stated in its order.

 

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