Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam today faced the National Green Tribunal's ire for its failure to comply with a 2015 order directing it to seal all hand pumps which were releasing contaminated ground water in six districts in the western part of the state.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar pulled up the authorities for not complying with its November 2015 order and asked why a joint affidavit has not been filed yet.
"It's shocking. Why don't you read the order and comply with it," the bench said and granted the last opportunity to UP Jal Nigam to comply.
The authorities sought more time to complete the process of dismantling the hand pumps after which the tribunal granted them a week's time and posted the matter for October 28.
"Authorities say they need more time. In the interest of justice, we give last opportunity and grant one week's time. Put up the matter for further hearing on October 28," the bench said.
The green panel was hearing a petition filed by NGO Doaba Paryavaran Samiti head C V Singh, a retired scientist of Haryana Pollution Control Board, who has alleged that due to consumption of contaminated ground water over 50 villagers have died in western Uttar Pradesh of cancer.
Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, appearing for petitioner, sought that heavy cost be imposed on state authorities so that they get a lesson as children were also dying after drinking contaminated water, contending that the people were suffering due to the failure of the authorities.
During the hearing, the bench asked whether the state government was providing potable water to the poor villagers of thse six districts, to which the state's counsel replied in affirmative.
The tribunal was also informed that the government was in the process of dismantling the hand pumps and its completion required some more time.
The bench had earlier observed that it was the fundamental duty of the state government to look after the health and environment of villagers.
In November last year, the bench had directed UP Jal Nigam to forthwith seal the hand pumps of all western UP districts which were releasing contaminated ground water.
NGT had constituted a panel consisting of officials from
the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), UP government and UP Jal Nigam to submit a study with analysis report and data on the issue of contaminated ground water in the western UP districts.
It was alleged by the petitioner that ground water in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat and Ghaziabad districts was polluted due to effluents being released underground due to reverse boring by industries.
The counsel had said that children were being born with deformity and the people suffering from cancer due to high chemical contents found in the ground water released from hand pumps in these villages.
The bench had then directed the state government and its officials to provide potable drinking water to the villagers of the six districts through vehicles having GPS system.
It had also said the committee was at liberty to engage experts to analyse the impact of use of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticide on contamination of ground water.
The petitioner had said that there were several rivers like Hindon, Kali and Krishna that pass through the villages of western Uttar Pradesh.
"Due to the effluents being discharged into the rivers by the industries located in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Meerut, the groundwater has become toxic and poisonous," the plea had said.
It was stated by the petitioner that Gangnoli village of district Baghpat had 37 cancer patients, while 71 had died due to cancer and the hand pumps there released contaminated water which had high quantity of lead, arsenic and sulphur.
