NGT angry over Yamuna pollution

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken a tough stance on discharging sewage directly into Yamuna river. Taking this seriously, the NGT has ordered the Delhi government to levy sewer charges from all houses in the capital in exchange for polluting the river. The tribunal said that the people who have not taken sewer connection must be charged.

A bench headed by NGT Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has ordered the Delhi government to immediately follow the Supreme Court's 2019 directive to levy and collect sewage charges from all houses as they cause damage to the environment.

The bench said that sewage and water coming out of all the houses is going to Yamuna without treatment. In 2015, the tribunal ordered all departments concerned, including the Delhi government, to recover sewage and environmental compensation from every house in the capital, based on the principle that only the polluter would make up for the loss.

This decision of the tribunal was later upheld by the Supreme Court in its 2019 verdict. Also, the government was ordered to collect sewage charges from all houses within two months.

The bench said if Yamuna is to be rejuvenated, pollutants have to be prevented from entering the river through drains or directly.

The bench, in its order, said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee needs to ensure that polluting industries are stopped, and new industries are not allowed without safety measures. There are about 12,43,000 houses in 1799 unauthorized colonies in Delhi. Over 3,47,000 households do not have sewer connection.