The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday slapped a fine of
Rs 1 crore each on Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Delhi Chief Secretary for damaging the environment.

NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel headed bench ordered both to deposit the money to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The bench gave the order on the plea pertaining to the utilization of treated waste water from all Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) within Delhi to avoid wastage of water and to ensure that ground water is not used for horticultural purposes for parks and green belts.

During today’s hearing, the counsel for DJB told the green panel that they have convened a meeting regarding this issue said it would be their endeavour to see that not a single drop of water is wasted.

In the meeting, the counsel said that DJB officers suggested that certain government agencies refused to take treated waste water suggested that one way to force these organizations to use treated water would be by barring them from using DJB water. The counsel sought four days’ time to submit plan of action.

At this, the bench said that they had already granted enough time but still they have not complied with the order. And DJB still have not heeded its direction to devise an action plan to use treated waste water as a resource. This resulted in vast amounts of treated water being wasted.

—India Legal Bureau