RWA alleges drinking water contamination in Janakpuri, NGT orders surprise check
New Delhi: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Central Pollution Control Board to collect and analyse drinking water samples from 10 homes in Janakpuri's A block without informing Delhi Jal Board or any other agency.
NGT is hearing a plea from the residents welfare association in A-1 block, which claimed that the area was not receiving fresh drinking water that met the requisite norms.
RWA alleged that DJB was supplying sewage-mixed drinking water to them. It claimed that the sewage line in the area had been blocked, resulting in corrosion of the pipelines supplying the fresh water, and consequently untreated sewage was getting mixed with the drinking water supplied through the pipelines.
On April 8, NGT directed CPCB to collect tap water samples from 10 houses in the affected area and submit the test report before the next date of hearing. "More than two weeks have passed... the counsel appearing for CPCB stated that samples are under analysis," said NGT in the recent May 14 order, which was shared on Thursday.
However, the counsel appearing for the applicant claimed that CPCB had collected the samples on April 29 and informed DJB in advance.
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"CPCB had informed DJB officials; therefore, desilting by deputing a super suction machine to artificially lower the sewer load and temporarily suppress cross contamination was done to manipulate water quality in the test results by DJB officials on April 27 and 28. Therefore, these samples may not reflect the correct position," NGT was informed.
He also said one of the residents was hospitalised and it was found that he was suffering from Hepatitis A and E.
"The supply of drinking water, which is unfit for the residents of the city, is very serious matter, but ignoring such a seriousness, DJB has not taken expeditious action to remediate it and CPCB has not done the needful to get the water sample report expeditiously in terms of the previous order of the tribunal," said the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shriavastava.
The bench directed CPCB to follow NGT's previous order and take fresh samples from 10 earlier and 10 new locations. It has been told to analyse the samples expeditiously particularly for fecal coliform E-coli and submit both reports before the next date of hearing.
Though DJB had claimed that it took corrective action, NGT observed that until the water was found to be fit for drinking, it couldn't be said that corrective action was taken.
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