NGT takes cognizance of pollution in village

New Delhi, March 13 

The residents of a village in Uttarakhand have written a letter to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) alleging the discharge of untreated chemical effluents in drains by industries located in the vicinity. 

  The villagers have contended there has been a complete violation of environmental laws and pollution norms by a large number of industries established in the SIDCUL industrial park, located in the vicinity of Siddh Garbyang village in Udham Singh Nagar district.

Terming the situation as alarming, a Bench of Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore directed its Registry to register the letter as a petition and directed the Uttarakhand State Pollution Control Board to inspect the industrial units near and around the village.

The NGT also issued notices to the Uttarakhand Government, the District Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar, the State Pollution Control Board and the MD of State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) while seeking their replies in two weeks. 

“We direct the board to inspect the industrial units near and around the village of Siddh Garbyang,” the tribunal said while posting the matter for hearing on April 2.

The board has been directed to identify the industries which are discharging untreated effluents and causing air and ground water pollution.

It has also been asked to inform the tribunal that whether the industries are complying with the conditions of environment clearance. “The pollution control board shall also collect the samples of effluents discharged, and of groundwater coming out of tubewells. Assess the smoke coming out of the chimneys and collect the samples of soil of agriculture fields so as to ascertain whether it has also been affected,” the Bench said.

The letter said industrial units were spewing black soot which deposited black dust on the houses of the villagers, especially during the morning and evening hours, due to which it was difficult for the residents to sit out of their houses and do any work. — PTI