The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee to take groundwater samples to assess the methodology used in recharging it. The directions came following a plea which alleged that steps undertaken by government agencies were “unscientific”.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed a committee comprising officials from the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the Central Ground Water Board to furnish the report within a month.
The directions came when the green panel was hearing a plea moved by city resident Mahesh Chandra Saxena that alleged unscientific recharge of groundwater by government agencies were leading to contamination.
“Grievance in the application is that groundwater recharge by the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority, Public Works Department, New Delhi Municipal Council and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, through rainwater harvesting structures, is not scientific and is resulting in contamination of groundwater,” the Bench observed while noting the allegations in the plea.
The DPCC will be the nodal agency for the compliance and coordination of the orders, the Bench said.
Earlier, the NGT had imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh each on educational institutions in the Capital for failing to install rainwater harvesting systems within the stipulated time.