Rainwater harvesting: NGT fines Delhi hospitals

The National Green Tribunal has slapped a fine of Rs 5 each lakh on Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre here after a special team constituted by it found that the rainwater harvesting systems were non-functional.
Noting that installing rainwater systems was their corporate social responsibility, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed these hospitals to pay the amount within one week for restoration of the environment.
It also directed these hospitals to carry all the rectifications and ensure that the rainwater harvesting systems operate satisfactorily and to their optimum capacity.

The tribunal also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each on hospitals -- Shanti Mukund Hospital, Metro Hospital, Sundar Lal Jain Charitable Hospital, Rockland Hospital, MGS Super Specialty Hospital, Bensups Hospital, City Hospital, Deepak Memorial Hospital and Kukreja Hospital and Heart Centre.
"One fact which cannot be disputed is that all these hospitals are operating for years and have not cared to install the systems required.
"It is unfortunate that even the biggest hospitals of Delhi have not cared to take the steps in the interest of environment and protection of the groundwater," it said.
The bench, however, did not impose any fine on Deen Dayal Upadhya Hospital, saying that it is a government hospital but directed action against hospital officials responsible for maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems.

Advocate Sanjeev Ralli, appearing for Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), submitted the inspection report which said that most hospitals either do not have the rain water harvesting systems or they are non-functional.