Tribunal Slams Deficient Responses on Markanda River Pollution

In a concerning development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has found the responses submitted on the pollution and encroachment levels in the Markanda River to be "materially deficient". The tribunal's Principal Bench, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr. Afroz Ahmad, has now directed the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB), Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), and Kala Amb Infrastructure Development Company (KAIDC) to submit fresh, detailed reports on the matter.

The Markanda River, which originates in Sirmaur district and flows through Ambala and Kurukshetra in Haryana, has been the subject of two applications filed before the NGT. These applications highlighted the discharge of untreated industrial effluents and sewage into the river, as well as encroachment issues. The tribunal has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of complete data and clarity provided in the previous responses, particularly regarding the management of industrial effluents, sewage disposal, and land ownership along the river's course.

The NGT has now ordered the HPPCB, HSPCB, and KAIDC to submit comprehensive additional reports covering various crucial environmental aspects, such as the number of drains discharging into the river, the status of their tapping, and the presence of any untreated sewage. The authorities have also been instructed to provide details on the total number of industries in Kala Amb, their connection to the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), and their compliance with Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) norms. The tribunal has further directed the Sirmaur District Magistrate to file a complete report on the revenue numbers, area, and land use categories through which the Markanda flows.