Yamuna pollution in Mathura-Vrindavan: NGT seeks action-taken report from UP chief secretary

Yamuna pollution in Mathura-Vrindavan: NGT seeks action-taken report from UP chief secretary

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to file an action-taken report within six weeks in a matter regarding discharge of untreated sewage in the Yamuna at Mathura-Vrindavan. The tribunal was hearing a petition, which claims that there are 36 drains in Mathura-Vrindavan, of which six are untapped, and those are discharging sewage into the Yamuna, rendering the water quality of the river "unfit to sustain any life".

A bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said the tribunal, in an order dated April 11, directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to take remedial action, including identifying the untapped drains and diverting those to sewage treatment plants (STPs), besides filing an action-taken report within four months. The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) submitted a report dated August 10, according to which an environmental compensation (EC) of Rs 3.25 crore was imposed upon the city commissioner of Mathura-Vrindavan.

The EC was levied with respect to five drains discharging sewage into the river at the rate of Rs 5 lakh each for 13 months, it said, noting the UPPCB's report. The bench also took note of a report dated October 4 by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), according to which a high level of faecal coliform was found at the outlets of the STPs, rendering the treated sewage unfit for discharge into the river and "other human contact purpose".

The tribunal said no action-taken report was filed on behalf of the chief secretary and some of its other directions were also not fully complied with. "In the background of the aforesaid fact, we direct the chief secretary, Uttar Pradesh to file the action-taken report in pursuance of the directions of the order dated April 11, 2023 within six weeks," the tribunal said.

The matter has been posted to November 30 for further proceedings.