Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The West Bengal government was directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to carry out water testing programmes at regular intervals to ensure that there is no arsenic contamination in the water.
The authorities were also directed to expedite implementation of its Detailed Project Report (DPR) within three years that included arsenic and iron removal plants for groundwater schemes.
A further direction was issued to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to complete its project of supplying potable drinking water to the remaining population of the city within a period of three years.
Affidavit dated September 22, 2023 filed by the Public Health Engineering Directorate stated that in South 24 Parganas district, arsenic contamination has been observed in shallower depths in a few blocks (Bishnupur, Baruipur, Sonarpur, Bhangar-I, Joynagar-I and Magrahat-II). Provision for arsenic and iron removal plants has been made in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the new piped water supply scheme in the area of installation.
The report also stated that considering the rising trend of contamination of the metalloid, 232 arsenic and iron removal plants for groundwater schemes have been considered for implementation in the DPR.
In addition, 883 schemes have been sanctioned in the South 24 Parganas having a total value of Rs 6,114.41 crore. It is also stated that 1,144 big dia tube wells are projected to be sunk under these sanctioned schemes.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation in its affidavit November 23, 2023 stated that the municipal corporation has provided portable drinking to almost every part of the city free of arsenic. About 5 lakh premises have been provided with piped water which is about 98 per cent of the city’s population.
The NGT had taken up the matter on the basis of a news report published in the news daily Times of India March 23, 2023. The article stated that the data submitted by the Central Ground Water Board showed that between 2017-21 the ground water level in Kolkata dropped by 2.1 metres, which is a decline of 18.6 per cent over the level recorded five years ago. If the depletion in the groundwater in Kolkata is not checked, the fall in groundwater level would reach 44 per cent by 2025, according to data.
It was also reported that higher arsenic contamination has already been reported in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas, which is likely to increase due to depletion of groundwater.
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/judgment-national-green-tribunal-regarding-depleting-kolkata-water-table-and-arsenic
NGT December 4, 2023 admitted a plea regarding withdrawal of water from river Yamuna and Ganga for various purposes affecting the river adversely.
The court directed that notices be issued to the officials of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board; District Magistrate Prayagraj; Bara Thermal Power Plant, among others. The respondents have been directed to file their response within eight weeks.
The application was registered on the basis of the letter petition wherein grievance was raised that Kishanpur canal is extracting 420 cusecs of water from River Yamuna for irrigation purpose and 96 cusecs is utilised by the Bara Thermal Power Plant, 80 million litres of water a day by Nagar Nigam, Meja and Karchana municipalities 54 MLD and NTPC Meja 90 cusecs water.
The grievance was that on account of such withdrawal of water, water scarcity is created in rivers Yamuna and Ganga in Prayagraj as a result of which, the very organisation of Kumbh Mela and Magh Mela will be difficult in the next 20 years.
All the municipal solid waste generated within the area of the Delhi Cantonment are being processed at waste-to-energy plants in Okhla. The sorting-cum-composting plant has been non-functional since March 2023 and the Delhi Cantonment Board is in the process of inviting bids for management and processing waste at the composting plant.
The report said that the plant will only be made functional after it is being shifted to some other suitable location. This was stated in the action taken report on behalf of Delhi Cantonment Board filed before the NGT December 5.
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