NGT issues notice to Delhi govt and others over water units

The National Green Tribunal today issued notice to the Delhi government after taking cognisance of a media report which claimed that around 10,000 illegal packaged water bottling units operating in the NCR are health hazards and causing multiple diseases.
The tribunal's order came on the petitions filed by the NGT Bar Association and Raj Hans Bansal who had opposed the illegal use of groundwater in Delhi.
The bench, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, sought response from city government, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments while listing the matter for next hearing on September 18.
The tribunal also directed Delhi government and DJB to submit a status report in relation to the newspaper report.

"Let notice be issued to DJB, NCT of Delhi... We direct counsel appearing for DJB and NCT of Delhi to submit a status report in relation to the above newspaper report. Notice may also be issued to state of Haryana and state of Uttar Pradesh," the bench said.
According to the report, Pankaj Aggrawal, president of Bottled Water Processor's Association, has stated that there were only 64 water bottling plants which have licence to supply packaged drinking water and the rest are operating illegally and unauthorisedly without consent of the Board.
The bench also directed Pankaj Aggarwal to be present on the next date of hearing.

Earlier, on August 23, the tribunal had directed DJB to collect a water cess of Rs 50,000 per year from all water- packaging industries in Bawana and Narela here for extracting ground water from its inception till December 31, 2012.