NGT issues notice over pollution in Ganderbal’s Sindh nullah

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the environment ministry and others in a matter regarding the alleged rampant pollution in the Sindh nullah in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report claiming that the authorities were indifferent to the growing pollution problem in the waterbody.

The nullah is a major tributary of the Jhelum River and plays an essential role in the region by contributing to irrigation, hydropower generation, and supplying drinking water to Srinagar via the Rangil Water Treatment Plant, the report said.

In a recent order, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that according to the report, Sindh nullah was once a pristine source of fresh water but it had been heavily polluted due to unchecked garbage dumping.

“The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms,” the tribunal said.

It impleaded as parties or respondents authorities, including the Jammu regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, member secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board and Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, deputy commissioner of Ganderbal, and commissioner of the fisheries department in the union territory. “Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing (on December 11),” the green panel said.