Haryana: Pollution board cracks down on effluent discharge, imposes Rs 6-crore penalty

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has imposed environmental compensation (EC) charges totalling Rs 6 crore on multiple government departments for discharging untreated effluents into the Ambala and Ghail drains, both of which merge into the Ghaggar.

The departments penalised include the Ambala Municipal Corporation, the Public Health Engineering Department, and the Rural and Panchayat Development Department.

According to an HSPCB official, Rs 3 crore has been levied collectively on these departments for the untreated effluent entering the Ambala drain, while an additional Rs 3 crore penalty has been imposed on the Municipal Corporation and the Public Health Engineering Department for pollution in the Ghail drain.

Continuous monitoring by the Regional Office of HSPCB in Ambala, and subsequent lab analyses by the Board's Panchkula laboratory, confirmed that water quality in both drains exceeded permissible limits set by the Ministry of Environment and Forests under Primary Water Quality Criteria for Bathing Waters.

The pollution board cited several lapses leading to the penalties, including incomplete sewerage networks in the catchment areas of the Ambala and Ghail drains, lack of 100% domestic sewer connections, unauthorised discharge of effluent from commercial establishments and households, poor maintenance of the existing sewer systems, and overflow from manholes.

Additionally, the Board noted the absence of any treatment proposal from the Rural Development Department for effluent generated in villages such as Barnala and Garnala.

In the case of the Ambala drain, the HSPCB has directed the departments concerned to deposit their proportionate shares of the Rs 3 crore compensation: Rs 1.32 crore by the Ambala Municipal Corporation, Rs 1.35 crore by the Public Health Engineering Department, and Rs 31 lakh by the Rural Development Department.

For the Ghail drain, both the Ambala Municipal Corporation and the Public Health Engineering Department have been directed to pay Rs 1.5 crore each.

Ajay Malik, Regional Officer of HSPCB, Ambala, said: “In compliance with the directions of the National Green Tribunal, environmental compensations have been imposed for the discharge of untreated effluent in Ambala Drain and Ghail Drain merging into the Ghaggar. The departments concerned must expedite the work of tapping and diversion of the discharge.”

He said, “The ECs were imposed after a field survey, mapping of the drains, and analysis of effluent quality by the joint committee constituted by the Deputy Commissioner of Ambala. Even last year, environmental compensation of Rs 2.75 crore was imposed on the Municipal Council Ambala Sadar for untreated effluent discharge into the Tangri.”