File report on Baddi pollution, HC tells state

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, March 22

The High Court today directed the Principal Secretary (Environment, Science and Technology) to file his response on the suggestions given by the amicus curie for curbing the pollution level in the Baddi industrial area.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Sandeep Sharma further directed him to file it within two weeks.

The court also made it clear that to avoid conflicting views henceforth, all respondents and the authorities concerned would at first place their reports to the Principal Secretary who, after examining these, would file a consolidated report in the court.

For finding appropriate solution, the court also given liberty to the Principal Secretary to convene a meeting of the department.

The court passed these orders on a petition taken up suo motu by the court as a PIL on a news item published in “The Tribune” on July 1 last year under the headline “Pollution rises in Baddi as effluent plant under used”. The news item suggested that less then 50 per cent industrial units of the Baddi industrial area sent untreated effluents to the common effluent treatment plant. It was further reported that the plant was treating 11 million litres of waste per day as against the proposed 25 million litres daily.