Pollution in Bandi river: NGT seeks report from Divisional Commissioner

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today directed the divisional commissioner, Jodhpur, to submit a report on the steps taken by the administration to control the pollution caused in the Bandi river by textile units.

The tribunal expressed surprise over the report submitted by Pali District Collector Sudhir Kumar Sharma who admitted that his report was lacking in providing specific conclusions, Mahaveer Singh Sukarlai of Kishan Paryavaran Sangarsh Samiti, which had filed a plea before the tribunal, said.

The tribunal bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and expert member Dr Satyawan Singh Garbyal said it was strange that nothing was said in the conclusion of the report submitted by the Pali district collector.

In view of the circumstances, the bench directed Jodhpur divisional commissioner to personally visit the Bandi river site and submit a report.

The Jodhpur divisional commissioner shall also prepare an action plan for rectifying the deficiencies and submit a complete report before July 5, it said.

The tribunal said an earlier order passed by it directing the respondent industry not to discharge untreated water into the river or any open place and the using treated water in the unit itself, and for that purpose proper action plan be prepared, shall continue.

The tribunal had formed a four-member committee which had given certain recommendations and tribunal had directed Pali district collector to see the deficiencies pointed out by its committee were rectified or not.