NGT asks Bidar DC to take steps to rejuvenate lake

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Bidar Deputy Commissioner to prevent the entry of sewage water into Papnash Lake in Bidar.

The NGT headed by its chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel passed this order following a petition filed by Ambresh Kencha, activist from Bidar, alleging that lake is being polluted and being emptied to set up a statue of Lord Shiva.

“Let all necessary steps be taken for diversion so that no untreated pollutants are discharged into water bodies in view of the statutory mandate under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The septic tanks in question may be properly cleaned and sludge disposal may be done in a scientific manner,” the NGT said in its order.

The NGT order also said, “action taken report has been furnished by the Deputy Commissioner, Bidar to the effect that an expert technical committee has been constituted which found that bulk of sewage was flowing which was required to be diverted from the lake into the irrigation lands by constructing a diversion channel. Encroachment has to be cleared from the lake. The proposal to install the statute has been dropped. STP will be completed by April, 2020.”