PATIALA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Punjab chief secretary, Punjab Pollution Control Board and Ropar district magistrate to look into the alleged huge water pollution taking place in River Satluj near Gurudwara Patalpuri Sahib at Kiratpur Sahib, of Ropar district and take remedial action in accordance with law.
The NGT directed that the chief secretary, Punjab may file an action taken report with the registrar general of this Tribunal within one month.
The directions have come after Punjab and Haryana advocate and social activist Sunaina had filed an application with the NGT seeking directions for remedial measures to prevent pollution taking place in River near “Gurudwara Patalpuri Sahib, Asthaghat at Kiratpur Sahib which is a sacred place to Sikh community as Sikh devotees from all over the country and world come to immerse the ashes of the departed ones and remains of their dead relatives, loved ones and friends in the river at the Asthaghat built on the bank of Sutlej River. She said that the dirty water of the Kiratpur Sahib town flows into the river through two canals.
"Firstly, the polluted water through Dabwali Jiuwal, Kalyanpur, Siphon Nangal road of the canal, railway line get mixed into the river. The dirty water has been falling for the last 30 years. Residents of this area are suffering from various diseases due to the untreated water dumped directly into the drains, nalah, channels which lastly merged into the Sutlej River. A large number of Devotees bathe at this Holy Place on every Massya, Punya, Sangrand, Hola-Mohalla fair and during solar eclipse. The Sangat considers the water from here to be holy and fills it in the water bottles and takes it to their houses", said Advocate Sunaina.
"The NGT has directed the state authorities to take remedial measures and file a status report within a month. Earlier I have approached concerned authorities but no action was taken and concerned departments, government have failed to find any suitable solution for this serious issue of pollution. However with this inaction and huge presence of pollution, the sentiments of the community and devotees were deeply hurt", added Sunaina.
The Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, gave the liberty to Advocate Sunaina to avail of remedy under Section 30 of NGT Act, 2010. (for prosecution for offence/for sentencing of respondents for offence under Section 30 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010).
Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, mentioned that the Tribunal dealt with pollution of rivers and requirement of establishing wastewater treatment facilities to prevent untreated waste water going to the rivers in the light of order of the Supreme Court in (2017) (Paryavaran Suraksha vs. Union of India), directing setting up of requisite STPs, ETPs, CETPs within the laid down timelines and requiring this Tribunal to monitor compliance.
