Bacterial contamination in potable water supply in Janakpuri: CPCB to NGT
The NGT was hearing a plea of the Janakpuri A 1 Block Resident Welfare Association, which alleged the potable fresh water supply by Delhi Jal Board was contaminated with sewage, exposing residents to E. coli, hepatitis, urosepsis, typhoid, jaundice, cholera and even cancer.
On May 14, the NGT rapped the DJB for not taking expeditious action and summoned its chief engineer.
It had directed the CPCB to take samples from ten new and old locations each without informing any authority, including the DJB, and ordered the samples to be analysed expeditiously, particularly for faecal coliform and E. coli bacteria.
On May 30, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "The CPCB has filed a report dated May 29, disclosing that 20 samples of tap water were collected from 20 houses, and six have failed the Bureau of Indian Standards showing the presence of total coliform and E. coli in these samples."
The bench cited the CPCB's report, which said, "Out of the 20 samples of tap water collected from 20 houses in A-1 block Janakpuri, Total Coliform and E. coli have been detected in six samples. The drinking water standards of the Bureau of Indian Standards - IS 10500:2012 prescribe that total coliform and E. coli shall not be detected in a drinking water sample."
The tribunal said the DJB's failure to remediate the serious concern of the residents was unfortunate.
"This reflects that the officers of the DJB are taking the matter in a very casual manner. They need to be sensitive to the problem being faced by the residents of that area for want of a supply of clean drinking water," the bench said.
The NGT was irked particularly given that DJB's chief engineer, Mukesh Kumar Jindal, had agreed to give an undertaking 'within three working days in the form of an affidavit that the problem will be remediated and it will be ensured that none of the residents get the supply of water having e-coli and total coliform".
The DJB also had to ensure the supply of potable water to the residents through an alternate source.
'If the undertaking given before the tribunal is breached, then the person giving the undertaking will be held personally liable,' the NGT said.
The CPCB was as a result ordered to take fresh samples and submit a report on the next hearing on July 16.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Dept asks Watco, OWSSB to install sewerage, effluent treatment plants at 21 hosps
Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department has asked Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) and Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) to construct effluent treatment plants (ETP)s and sewerage treatment plants (STP)s at 21 district headquarters hospitals at the earliest. The directive comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi, sought an action-taken report from the state health department on establishment of the plants. "It is requested again to furnish the status of establishment of ETP and STP at govt healthcare facilities of Odisha at the earliest to this department for further submission of the same before NGT and CPCB, New Delhi," read the letter from the deputy secretary of health and family welfare department, Ananta Kishore Majhi, to member secretary of OWSSB and Watco MD. ETP treats wastewater of hospitals to remove pollutants and contaminants before it is discharged or reused. The plant uses a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes to purify the water, making it safe for the environment and potentially suitable for other uses. STP removes contaminants from wastewater, before releasing it back in the environment. The facility plays a vital role in protecting public health, preserving water quality and maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
NGT seeks state response on quarrying near Tata cancer hospital in Kharghar
Navi Mumbai: The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu notice of media reports regarding illegal quarrying behind Tata cancer hospital in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, and served notices to the concerned state govt agencies to respond to the alleged violations. The news raises "substantial issues" relating to compliance with environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactments, the bench comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, expert members Dr A Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, stated during the hearing. The principal bench based in New Delhi transferred the case to the tribunal's western zonal bench in Pune and listed it for the next hearing on Sept 17. The principal bench observed that the news items further state activists have questioned how the authorities could allow such blasting in the hills, especially when it leads to dangerous dust clouds spreading into the Tata hospital premises and also into nearby residential areas. The reports were based on the response received by environment watchdog NatConnect Foundation via the Right to Information (RTI) Act from the Raigad district administration that no permissions were issued for the quarry. The principal bench directed the Raigad district collector, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, the state directorate of geology and mining, and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to file their response affidavits before the western zonal bench at least one week before the next hearing. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar expressed his gratitude to the NGT for taking up the case. He expressed hope that accountability would be fixed for not checking the violation. "The quarrying must stop as it plays with the lives of cancer patients who already suffer from very low immunity. Moreover, the dust is the biggest enemy of the medical equipment that costs crores of rupees," Kumar said. "Experts have warned that the continuous quarrying has loosened the soil in the surrounding hills, increasing the chances of landslides in the area," the NGT noted. According to NGT, the news reports said the quarry could also pose a serious threat to both the tunnel construction and the safety of nearby residents and institutions. Jyoti Nadkarni, convenor of Kharghar Hill and Wetland Forum, welcoming NGT proceedings, said, "The RTI response is part of the official records of the district administration which should have checked the indiscriminate quarrying on for several months now."
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Provide best medical services to those visiting PHCs: Nandyal Collector
Collector Rajakumari Ganiya asked the medical officers to provide the best possible services to those visiting primary health centres (PHCs). The Collector was on a tour of Gospadu mandal headquarters, during which she visited the PHC, Rythu Seva Kendram, and a private fertiliser shop. During her visit to the PHC, Ms. Rajakumari Ganiya enquired about the staff strength, the number of pregnancy deliveries, availability of medicines, and how expired tablets were being disposed. She said that people visit government hospitals with a belief that quality medical care would be available and asked the staff to meet their expectations. Ms. Rajakumari Ganiya asked the staff to create awareness among the people about the benefits of delivering at a government hospital and to increase the number of deliveries. She said that steps would be taken to fill staff vacancies, if any, and asked the staff to maintain clean and hygienic conditions on the PHC premises. The Collector also interacted with the patients and enquired whether they were getting proper treatment, among other things. Later, she visited the Rythu Seva Kendram and enquired about e-KYC, enrolment of crops with the kendram, extent of crop sown, availability of urea, and others with the staff there. She asked the staff to educate farmers about the ill-effects of excess usage of urea in cultivating crops. Ms. Rajakumari Ganiya inspected the Sri Venkata Sai fertilisers shop and went through the records to verify the fertilisers and DAP stocks. She asked the shop management to sell fertilisers at the price fixed by the government and warned of registering criminal cases, if the farmers were forced to buy fertilisers at a higher price.
