Civic bodies to pay crores for Ulhas river’s clean-up
By Gitanjali Das
Coming down strongly on the illegal discharge of untreated effluents, sewage and pollutants into the Ulhas river, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the civic bodies of Ulhasnagar and Dombivali to pay between Rs 5-30 crore towards restitution and restoration of the river.
Passing judgement in a case filed by NGO Vanashakti on July 2, the tribunal applied the ‘polluter pays’ principl
e while rapping the state pollution control board for not taking effective action.
Vanashakti chief Stalin Dayanand said, “We have been fighting for this for two years. We have been threatened by political groups and were even stopped from entering factories to collect samples. The state pollution board was in active collusion with the polluters. If we have such rivers, then why do we need packaged drinking water?”
In its application to the NGT, Vanashakti accused the civic bodies of discharging large quantities of sewage in the riverine zone, while major industrial units including chemical and textile had been set up on the Ulhas basin. It also alleges that that the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) provided by MIDC in Ambernath, Dombivali, Badlapur are either inadequate or not operated efficiently.
The application points out that though the MPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had issued notices to polluters, they had not taken adequate legal action, and some industries discharging effluents were bypassing CETPs.
The tribunal relied on reports by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), which indicated accumulation of toxic heavy metals. The MPCB had also stated on record that leachate from solid waste dumping grounds was also found. The judgment states that the state urban development department should provide technical and financial support to these local bodies for a cost-effective and sustainable sewage management programme.
The tribunal has directed the MPCB to strictly enforce CPCB directions pertaining to CETPs at Dombivli and Ambernath till they are fully functional.
The Dombivili CETP has been directed to pay Rs 30 crore, while the Ambernath CETP has to pay Rs 15 crore. The Ulhasnagar and Kalyan-Dombivali municipal corporations have been told to deposit Rs 15 crore each, while the Kulgaon-Badlapur and Ambernath municipal councils will have to deposit Rs 5 crore each.
These funds will be used to implement a scientific programme for cleaning the river within 18 months. A committee under the Divisional Commissioner shall also be constituted, which must submit an action plan in six weeks.
Dr P Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB, told Mirror, “We will provide all support for cleaning and sewage treatment. Several criminal cases had been filed against industries dumping effluents.” He declined to comment on NGT’s observations.
“This is a result of negligence on everyone’s part. We have discontinued water supply to such industries and have asked for their electricity to be cut too. We will fully cooperate in the restoration,” said UMC chief Manohar Hire. Kalyan-Dombivali civic chief Madhukar Ardad added, “Our people deny polluting the river. We will first see whether what we submitted before the tribunal was considered and then take a legal opinion on an appeal. A hydraulic engineer told me that the pH levels in sewage water after treatment were within safe limits.”
Rajendra Sonje, chief engineer, MIDC, said, “I have not seen the judgment copy yet. Once we have gone through it, we will take a legal opinion and decide our next course of action.”
Coming down strongly on the illegal discharge of untreated effluents, sewage and pollutants into the Ulhas river, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the civic bodies of Ulhasnagar and Dombivali to pay between Rs 5-30 crore towards restitution and restoration of the river.
Passing judgement in a case filed by NGO Vanashakti on July 2, the tribunal applied the ‘polluter pays’ principl
e while rapping the state pollution control board for not taking effective action.
Vanashakti chief Stalin Dayanand said, “We have been fighting for this for two years. We have been threatened by political groups and were even stopped from entering factories to collect samples. The state pollution board was in active collusion with the polluters. If we have such rivers, then why do we need packaged drinking water?”
In its application to the NGT, Vanashakti accused the civic bodies of discharging large quantities of sewage in the riverine zone, while major industrial units including chemical and textile had been set up on the Ulhas basin. It also alleges that that the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) provided by MIDC in Ambernath, Dombivali, Badlapur are either inadequate or not operated efficiently.
The application points out that though the MPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had issued notices to polluters, they had not taken adequate legal action, and some industries discharging effluents were bypassing CETPs.
The tribunal relied on reports by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), which indicated accumulation of toxic heavy metals. The MPCB had also stated on record that leachate from solid waste dumping grounds was also found. The judgment states that the state urban development department should provide technical and financial support to these local bodies for a cost-effective and sustainable sewage management programme.
The tribunal has directed the MPCB to strictly enforce CPCB directions pertaining to CETPs at Dombivli and Ambernath till they are fully functional.
The Dombivili CETP has been directed to pay Rs 30 crore, while the Ambernath CETP has to pay Rs 15 crore. The Ulhasnagar and Kalyan-Dombivali municipal corporations have been told to deposit Rs 15 crore each, while the Kulgaon-Badlapur and Ambernath municipal councils will have to deposit Rs 5 crore each.
These funds will be used to implement a scientific programme for cleaning the river within 18 months. A committee under the Divisional Commissioner shall also be constituted, which must submit an action plan in six weeks.
Dr P Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB, told Mirror, “We will provide all support for cleaning and sewage treatment. Several criminal cases had been filed against industries dumping effluents.” He declined to comment on NGT’s observations.
“This is a result of negligence on everyone’s part. We have discontinued water supply to such industries and have asked for their electricity to be cut too. We will fully cooperate in the restoration,” said UMC chief Manohar Hire. Kalyan-Dombivali civic chief Madhukar Ardad added, “Our people deny polluting the river. We will first see whether what we submitted before the tribunal was considered and then take a legal opinion on an appeal. A hydraulic engineer told me that the pH levels in sewage water after treatment were within safe limits.”
Rajendra Sonje, chief engineer, MIDC, said, “I have not seen the judgment copy yet. Once we have gone through it, we will take a legal opinion and decide our next course of action.”
