NGT seeks states' report on sewage disposal into sea

The National Green Tribunal has directed all coastal states and Union Territories including Karnataka to submit a report to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on steps taken to prevent sewage and industrial effluents flowing into the sea.

The NGT principal bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed that all coastal states and Union Territories have to submit information within one month from Tuesday to the CPCB, failing which defaulting states will have to pay Rs 10 lakh each month till compliance.

Hearing a petition by Lt Gen Sarvadaman Singh Oberoi (retd) seeking direction to formulate an action plan to restore seawater quality along the Indian coastal areas, the Tribunal said after compiling the states' report, the CPCB should submit a detailed report in three months mentioning whether the states were following the pollution laws with regard to discharge of untreated and industrial and municipal effluents and solid waste.

The bench also said that it is necessary to ensure that water at the beaches remains fit for bathing and survival of aquatic life, fishing and contact sports in accordance with Sea Water Criteria in terms of directions of the CPCB.

The tribunal noted that "indiscriminate release of untreated or partially treated wastes without considering the assimilative capacity of the waste receiving water body has resulted in pockets of polluted environs with depleted coastal resources, public health risks and loss of biodiversity."