Pollution board tells Rewari DC to recover ~3 cr fine from five sewage treatment plants

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rewari, July 31
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has urged the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Rewari to ensure the recovery of the environmental compensation from five sewage treatment plants (STPs) in accordance with the law of Haryana Land Revenue Act. The STPs are being operated by the government departments.
The Regional Officer of the HSPCB, Dharuhera here, recently submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in connection with a complaint Prakash Yadav of Kharkara village. As per the report, a total over Rs 3 crore of environmental compensation was imposed on the STPs last year for not complying with the rules.

Sewage being released on vacant land

• The Regional Officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Dharuhera, recently submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal on a complaint of Prakash Yadav of Kharkara village.
• In his complaint, Yadav said the sewage from the STPs was being released on to hundreds of acres of vacant land of the dried-up Sahabi river near the villages of Kharkhara and Khaliawas on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.
• Not only did the sewage contaminate the groundwater, it also damaged the trees, the complainant added.

As per reports, an environmental compensation of Rs 56.20 lakh was imposed on the 6.5-MLD STP on Kaluwas Road, Rs 64.60 lakh on the 16-MLD STP on Nasiaji Road, Rs 65.10 lakh on the STP in Kharkhara village, Rs 55.70 lakh on the 8-MLD STP on Nasiaji Road and Rs 63.70 lakh on the 3-MLD STP on Khera Murar Road in the district.
The compensation was imposed after samples collected from the STPs were found exceeding the permissible limit of various environment parameters. The samples were taken following the directives of the NGT while hearing the complaint filed by in this respect. In his complaint, Yadav said the sewage from the STPs was being released in hundreds of acres of vacant land of the dried-up Sahabi river near the villages of Kharkhara and Khaliawas on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. Not only did the sewage contaminate the groundwater but also damaged the trees, the complainant added.
While talking to ‘The Tribune’, Yadav highlighted the foul smell emanating from the accumulated water in the area, saying that it was clearly untreated water. “I have urged the authorities to stop discharging untreated water from STPs in the area and ensure the proper treatment of the sewage before releasing it, besides conducting regular inspections,” he added.
HSPCB Regional Officer Harish Sharma Dharuhera was not available for comments.