The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Bhopal bench has issued notices to the state government of Rajasthan and Rajasthan Pollution Control Board seeking reply on the matter of vegetable cultivation in the state using sewerage water of the cities.
The tribunal has issued these notices while allowing a petition filed by an environmentalist of the state.
State coordinator of the People for Animals, Babu Lal Jaju had moved a petition in the NGT seeking restriction on the farming of vegetables in various cities using the sewerage or other kind of industrial affluent, terming it to be highly detrimental to the health of the people.
In his petition, Jaju said that the vegetables produced with such water are highly toxic and very dangerous for the health of a human being and has been leading to deadly diseases.
Jaju's counsel argued that despite this, the farming of vegetables with such water has been taking place across the state uninterrupted, thereby, allowing the human being to suffer terribly due to consumption of the vegetables produced so and demanded strict check on this practice prevalent across the state.
Hearing the arguments, member of the bench Justices U D Salvi and P S Rao issued notices to the state government through the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries (Environment and Forest and UDH) and the member Secretary (Rajasthan Pollution Control Board) seeking reply on the matter by August 19.
