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Supreme Court Shifts River Pollution Fight to NGT
24 Feb
Summary
- Supreme Court reopened the National Green Tribunal's river pollution case.
- The court emphasized a specialized body is better for continuous river monitoring.
- NGT's closure of its oversight in 2021 was deemed a grave mistake.
The Supreme Court has directed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to reopen its proceedings concerning the contamination of rivers by effluent. The apex court initiated suo motu proceedings in January 2021, focusing on the Yamuna River's pollution, but has now decided that a specialized body is better suited for continuous monitoring.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, observed that multiplicity of proceedings could affect uniformity and continuity. It criticized the NGT for closing its own oversight case in 2021, calling it a "grave mistake." The court emphasized that the NGT's responsibility extends beyond issuing directions and requires ongoing monitoring of compliance by state governments and the Centre.
The original suo motu case, titled 'Remediation of Polluted Rivers,' was triggered by a petition alleging that Haryana was releasing ammonia-laden water into the Yamuna. The scope was later broadened to include all major rivers, with the Central Pollution Control Board tasked to identify municipalities lacking functional Sewage Treatment Plants.
