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Spring water extraction: NGT asks MoEF&CC if any rules or regulations exist for drawing spring water for commercial purposes; Mohan Meakin accused of unauthorised use.
Aravalli construction: NGT seeks MoEF&CC reply on allegations of DLF Universal’s construction in forest-notified Wazirabad Pahadi region, allegedly without required environmental clearances.
Sewage disposal: Keelakarai municipality in Tamil Nadu has no STP; sewage currently discharged into Gulf of Mannar is being partly diverted to a newly built FSTP to prevent sea contamination.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), August 12, 2025 directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to file a reply disclosing whether any rule, regulation or circular exists regulating the extraction of spring water for commercial purposes.
The order arose from proceedings in which the tribunal was examining the issue of effluent dumping by Mohan Meakin Pvt Ltd, the project proponent in the Kasauli Kund, as well as compliance with environmental norms.
A joint committee constituted by the tribunal had submitted a report dated August 20, 2024, stating that the project proponent was using spring water emerging from its premises without any permission.
Counsel for the project proponent submitted that no permission from the groundwater authority is required for using spring water, and that no regulation exists requiring permission for the use of such water from any authority.
The NGT, August 12, 2025 directed the MoEF&CC to look into allegations that DLF Universal was carrying out construction around the forest-notified Wazirabad Pahadi region, which forms part of the Aravalli hill system in Haryana. The MoEF&CC is to file its reply at least one week before the next hearing date, scheduled for November 10, 2025.
Others directed to file replies include the Haryana State Pollution Control Board; the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Haryana; the State of Haryana; the State Expert Appraisal Committee, Haryana; and DLF Universal Ltd.
In the application, the applicant raised a grievance against construction work by DLF Universal in Sector-54, Gurugram, Haryana. The applicant alleged that the construction was taking place around the forest-notified Wazirabad Pahadi region, part of the Aravalli hill system.
It was further alleged that the total built-up area of the proposed construction is 401,100.65 square metres and that this is being undertaken without obtaining Environmental Clearance as required under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006.
The applicant also stated that DLF was carrying out construction in violation of environmental norms and without obtaining the Consent to Establish or other clearances from the regulatory agencies. In support of this submission, counsel for the applicant referred to photographs filed along with Google images.
In a status report filed by the district collector, Ramanathapuram, on August 12, 2025, the commissioner of Keelakarai Municipality has stated that there is no sewage treatment plant (STP) in Keelakarai, resulting in all sewage being discharged directly into the Gulf of Mannar.
In Pallamorkulam village, located about 7 kilometres from the Keelakarai municipal area, on municipally owned land, a faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) with a capacity of 20 kilolitres per day has been constructed and completed for treating the faecal sludge generated daily, the NGT was told.
At present, faecal sludge from the municipal areas is removed using 6,000-litre capacity private vehicles and a 6,000-litre capacity municipal suction vehicle, and transported to the newly established FSTP for treatment. Furthermore, to prevent sewage from the town mixing with the sea, sewage collected in street chambers is removed using the 6,000-litre capacity municipal suction vehicle and taken to the FSTP for treatment.
Until a site is obtained for establishing a new STP, sewage is being temporarily removed in such a way as to ensure it does not mix with the sea, the Keelakarai Municipal Commissioner stated in a letter dated August 9, 2025.