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Supreme Court registers Suo moto case on “Remediation of Polluted Rivers”
The Supreme Court on Wednesday registered a Suo moto writ petition for the purpose of “Remediation of Polluted Rivers”, in which the pollution levels in the river bodies across India will be inspected, with the primary focus on the contamination level of River Yamuna. A spike in ammonia levels was noticed in the waters of the Yamuna making it unfit for human consumption. The primary reason being the discharge of untreated effluents from numerous states. This Suo moto was escalated while the Supreme Court was hearing a plea by the Delhi Jal Board. A bench consisting of the CJI SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna, and Justice V Ramasubramanian registered the petition to check and rectify this colossal issue of river water pollution.
Many states, including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, were issued a notice regarding the same along with The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Supreme Court highlighted the importance of freshwater resources to humankind. The court also mentioned the vulnerable condition the aquatic biosphere might get into if the issue is not checked in time.
The release of untreated or partially treated industrial waste directly into the rivers has been one of the major reasons behind this concern. The bench has appointed Senior Advocate Ms. Meenakshi Arora as the Amicus Curiae, who accused the State Authorities of not monitoring the working of some sewage treatment plants in Haryana. Central Pollution Control Board has been directed by the Supreme Court to scrutinize the condition of all the sewage treatment plants across the length of the river Yamuna and submit a report on the same. The court has asked CPCB to discover any other possible factors causing water pollution within the limits of municipalities. The matter has been listed on 19 January 2021.
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