NGT is currently hearing a petition filed by NGO Vanshakti that has accused that the chemical effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Dombivli-Ambernath MIDC are not working properly and the untreated chemical effluents from various industries were being directly released in Ulhas river causing irreversilble damage to the riverine ecosystem.
Clearly miffed with Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in the matter of Ulhas river pollution, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked for an explanation as to why, after failure to perform its statutory functions, the state board's should not be taken over and its functions assigned to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The NGT order dated March 30 states: "The MoEF is directed to first issue show cause notice to MPCB to give them an opportunity to scrupulously discharge its statutory functions in the matter relating to enforcement of provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and implement decisions taken and further directing them to explain as to why because of its failure to perform statutory functions, the MPCB shall not be taken over and its functions be assigned to CPCB, invoking the powers conferred by virtue of Section 18 (2) of the Act."
NGT is currently hearing a petition filed by NGO Vanshakti that has accused that the chemical effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Dombivli-Ambernath MIDC are not working properly and the untreated chemical effluents from various industries were being directly released in Ulhas river causing irreversilble damage to the riverine ecosystem.
In fact, the order also stated that as per the application filed by CPCB, four CETPs — Ambarnath CETP, Dombivli Better Environment System Association CETP, Dombivli, M/s Dombivli CETP (Chemical) and M/s ACMA CETP co-op. society Ltd. CETP — are exceeding effluent discharge standards continuously, which is finally meeting the river. "More importantly the CPCB has indicated exceeding concentration of toxic elements like Chromium, Cyanide, Lead and also obnoxious pollutants like Phenols besides high concentration of Ammoniac Nitrogen in the CETP discharges. This indicates continuous unabated discharge of polluted and toxic discharge of untreated industrial waste water in the surrounding environment," noted the order.
The NGT order clearly stated that it was dismayed by MPCB and it was clear that the board was not taking effective and urgent steps in the control nor monitoring of CETPs within its jurisdiction.
"In fact, the application made by CPCB to the NGT was the biggest proof of how MPCB has totally failed in its primary job of cracking a whip on those pollution the environment and due to its inefficiency, toxic pollutants were causing unabated environmental damage," said an activist, who added that the Dombivli industrial area has already been identified as a critically polluted area by the CPCB way back in 2010.
Meanwhile, while no senior officials were available for comment in the matter, sources in MPCB claimed that the NGT order had certainly created a lot of embarrassment for it and they have already decided to begin the crackdown.
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