NGT gives MC two months

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26

Taking a serious view of sullage flowing into the N choe, a panel formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), headed by Justice Pritam Pal, a former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has set a two-month deadline for the Municipal Corporation to plug all leakages.

Sources said officials of the MC and the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee made detailed presentations before the panel today to apprise it of the action taken to stop the flow of sullage into the N choe, which was leading to pollution in the Ghaggar. The NGT had formed the panel to check pollution in the Ghaggar and restore its water quality.

The Ghaggar, which originates in the Shivaliks in Himachal Pradesh, gets polluted at several places in Punjab and Haryana. Officials of the MC claimed that all leakage points up to Attawa in Sector 42 had been plugged. The leakage points beyond Attawa would require major work. MC officials said there was a major leakage near the Beant Singh memorial. Sullage from Adrash Colony was also flowing into the N choe. Plugging all these points would take a few more months. The sources said while a majority of the remaining points were likely to be plugged within two months, some leakage points might take more time, maybe till December.

The MC also promised to plug the leakage points of the Sukhna choe from Kishangarh to Hallo Majra. After a rap from the NGT, the MC issued notices to over 25 shops which had illegally connected the sewerage with the storm water system. Besides, the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee also told the panel that it had issued orders for the closure of the 11 industries polluting the environment.

Panel summons labour officials 

The NGT, headed by Justice Pritam Pal, has  summoned officials  of the Labour Department, Chandigarh, over lack of facilities  in factories for workers. Justice Pal had visited some  factories  a few months   ago to check violation of environmental  laws and was aghast at seeing lack  of facilities   for workers  as required under the law. Under the Act, facilities such as suitable seating arrangements, ambulance room, canteen, rest rooms  and creches are to be provided to the workers.