PANJIM: With the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) declaring as many as 351 river stretches across country including 11 in Goa as highly polluted, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed all States to adopt ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ (PPP) to recover the cost of rejuvenation of rivers from those who are responsible for the pollution.
NGT Principal Bench, New Delhi, headed by Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Geol, has asked States to come up with action plan with two months for bringing all the polluted river stretches to be fit at least for bathing purposes. Chief Secretaries of the concerned States will be held accountable for failure to draft the plan.
CPCB has named River Mandovi, Zuari, Sal, Talpona, Assonora, Bicholim, Chapora, Khandepar, Sinquerim, Tiracol and Valvanti as polluted rivers under Criteria III, IV and V that are having BOD between 10-20 mg/L, between 6-10 mg/L and between 3 mg/ L. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) less than 3.0mg/L in water is considered as safe for bathing.
A four-member committee called ‘River Rejuvenation Committee (RRC)’ comprising of Director Environment, Director Urban Development, Director Industries and Member Secretary State Pollution Control Board has been asked to be constituted for drafting the action plan.
“The Committee is granted authority to recover the cost of rejuvenation in Polluter Pays Principle from those who may be responsible for the pollution,” reads the order issued on September 20.
“All States and Union Territories are directed to prepare action plans within two months for bringing all the polluted river stretches to be fit at least for bathing purposes (i.e. BOD less than 3 mg/L) within six months from the date of finalisation of the action plan,” it stated.
The action plan will include components such as identification of polluting sources including functioning/ status of STPs/ETPs/CETP and solid waste management and processing facilities, quantification and characterisation of solid waste, trade and sewage generated in the catchment area of polluted river stretch.
The action plan will address issues relating to groundwater extraction, adopting good irrigation practices, protection and management of Flood Plain Zones (FPZ), rainwater harvesting, groundwater charging, maintaining minimum environmental flow of river and plantation on both sides of the river. Also, the plan should focus on proper interception and diversion of sewage carrying drains to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and emphasis should be on utilisation of treated sewage so as to minimise extraction of ground or surface water
“The action plan should have speedy, definite or specific timelines for execution of steps,” NGT bench said.
Further, the tribunal has also ordered setting up Special Environment Surveillance Task Force, comprising nominees of District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and Pollution Board, who will monitor illegal sand mining taking place in the said polluted river stretches.
“Needless to say, that order of National Green Tribunal is binding as a decree of court and non-compliance is actionable by way of punitive action including prosecution, in terms of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010,” the green bench said as it fixed the matter for next hearing on December 19.
