Comply with SC orders on sewerage charges: NGT to Delhi govt.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government to comply with Supreme Court directions to levy sewerage charges on households in the Capital for discharge of untreated effluents into the Yamuna.

Noting that a major cause of pollution is the discharge of sewage, industrial effluents and other pollutants into the river, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said, “If the Yamuna is to be rejuvenated, such discharges, either directly or through drains, need to be stopped.”

Safeguards needed

“This is possible only if the IDMC [Integrated Drain Management Cell] performs its functions effectively to prevent discharge of untreated sewage into the drains or into the Yamuna. The DPCC [Delhi Pollution Control Committee] needs to ensure that polluting industries are stopped and new industries are not allowed without safeguards,” the Bench observed.

The green panel added that if despite tribunal and the apex court orders, the same are not complied with, then it was open to the petitioner to approach the Supreme Court for action as may be required for enforcement of the directions.

The tribunal said, “The Delhi government may forthwith comply with the order of the Supreme Court dated October 24, 2019, on the subject of levy and recovery of the sewage charges. The IDMC may carry out its functions as already directed.”