The National Green Tribunal today issued bailable warrants against medical superintendents of 10 hospitals for failing to appear before it on a plea seeking implementation of Rain Water Harvesting Systems (RWHS).
A bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar issued the warrants against medical superintendents of Mata Chanan Devi Hospital, Maharishi Valmiki Hospital, Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital, Ayurvedic Hospital, Ashoka Nursing Home, Shri Ram Singh Memorial Hospital, Indian Hospital, Charak Palika Hospital, Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital and Anand Hospital in the sum of Rs 10,000.
The bench asked them to appear before it on December 4, the next date of hearing.
"Some of the hospitals have not responded at all to the notices issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and are not present. Consequently... We issue bailable warrant against Medical Superintendent/ Managing Director of the hospitals shown at serial nos 77, 84, 86, 87 ,89,90, 92,93,94,95 and 96 in the sum of Rs 10,000 each to the satisfaction of the executing Officer," the bench said.
During the hearing, counsels appearing for the other hospitals told the Tribunal that they have taken appropriate measures and have installed Rain Water Harvesting Systems.
"We accept the statement made and grant four weeks time to each of the hospitals present here to install the Rain Water Harvesting Systems and summit the compliance report to the DPCC which then shall inspect all those hospitals," the bench added.
On May 6, the tribunal had issued notice to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of various colonies as well as to all the government and private hospitals including AIIMS and other Hospitals enlisted with the NCT and Delhi seeking their replies on the petition.
The bench had also directed the Delhi government and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to issue notice to all the hospitals to state on affidavit as to whether the RWHS have been installed or not and had ordered that all these hospitals be notified to appear before the tribunal on July 4.
The tribunal was hearing a plea by Vikrant Kumar Tongad seeking directions to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to "install proper rain water harvesting system" on all its existing as well as proposed and under-construction stations, tracks and depots.
In his petition, Tongad had submitted that if rain water harvesting system is properly installed at all stations, tracks and depots of the DMRC, about 6.37 crore litres of water can be saved.
