West Bengal treats only 49 per cent of the waste water before dumping it in the Ganga, the National Green Tribunal has said while directing the state government to submit quarterly report on the issue of solid waste management.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also noted that the state generates 1,311 million litres a day (mld) of waste water and while 34 sewage treatment plants have a total installed capacity of 457 mld, their actual utilisation is only 214 mld, which is only 49 per cent.
The tribunal directed the state government to notify at least three major cities, towns and panchayats as "model cities/towns/villages" in every district within two weeks.
"The remaining cities, towns and village panchayats in the state may be made fully compliant in respect of environmental norms within one year," the bench said.
It also directed that performance audit of all regulatory bodies may be conducted and remedial measures be taken, within six months.
During the hearing, state chief secretary Malay Kumar Dey told the tribunal that it was found that out of the 341 blocks in West Bengal, the groundwater in 81 blocks was contaminated with arsenic and in 49 blocks with fluoride.
The tribunal was informed that large tractors, diggers and trucks can be seen lined along many of the rivers in West Bengal. Indiscriminate sand mining has a devastating effect on the environment.
"About 90 per cent of the municipal solid waste generated in Bengal every day is dumped in the open in violation of statutory pollution laws, raising the stink of alleged collusion with recycling rackets that have found a fortune in rubbish," the NGT noted.
The tribunal was hearing a petition seeking compliance of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
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