The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to Rajasthan government, including the Chief Secretary, and its various departments on affluent and sewer discharge in to Bhilwara's heritage Gandhi-Sagar pond.
The NGT, Central Zone at Bhopal which has jurisdiction on states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, has sought reply by August 19.
"On a public interest petition of Babu Lal Jaju, the noted environmentalist and wildlife expert, the NGT has served notices to state Chief Secretary, Bhilwara Collector and Municipal Council, Urban Improvement Trust, and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) to file the reply with personal or lawyer's appearance on August 19," Jaju's lawyer Mahendra Singh Kachwaha said in a statement here today.
In its last month's order, which was received a day ago by the petitioner, the NGT said application or appeal would be heard and determind "in their absence".
Jaju, in his petition, had alleged that despite a ban by the Rajasthan High Court on affluent discharge, all seven sewer outlets were opened in the Gandhi Sagar pond, besides daily discharge of heavy industrial affluent.
The state government had spent Rs four crore on the development of the pond but that too were wasted by sheer negligence of bureaucrats and public, Jaju said, adding people living in the vicinity of pond were the worst sufferers.
