NGT finds Jalandhar sewage treatment plant dysfunctional

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 3

The sewage treatment plant at Basti Peerdaad was yet again found non-functional during a visit of a National Green Tribunal (NGT) monitoring committee here today.

Nearly 75 million litres per day (MLD) of toxic waste is being dumped into the Kala Sanghian drain and other water bodies in the city in the absence of functional sewage treatment plants.

The team, led by Justice Jasbir Singh (retd), chairman, NGT monitoring committee, was greeted by smelly, black drains. The team found that the sewage treatment plant at Basti Peerdaad was non-functional yet again. The committee, during its visit on November 2, had imposed a penalty on the civic body for the non-functional plant.

Despite repeated notices and reprimands, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation has failed to make the plant functional.

Officials informed the NGT team that 75 MLD of waste was flowing into the twin drains of Kala Sanghian (50 MLD) and Garha (25 MLD). Additionally, sources said effluents from industries, households and a solid waste treatment project at the Wariana dump made a substantial contribution to pollution in water bodies. Environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, who accompanied the team, said the collective effluent discharge into the drain neared 100 MLD.

Terming the situation a climate “crisis”, Justice Jasbir Singh (retd.) said, “Non-compliance to various rules and regulations has been found during the visit. A detailed response will be sought from departments concerned on the issue tomorrow.”