PWD minister orders action against untreated sewage discharge in Delhi
Jun 21, 2025 05:34 AM IST
Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma on Friday ordered immediate action against the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste in the Capital, PWD said in a statement. Delhi cabinet minister Parvesh Verma. (HT Photo)
The concerned departments were ordered to inspect commercial, industrial, and all other establishments which are legally mandated to have Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) or Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) installed and operating. The inspections are meant to ensure that the plants have been properly installed and are fully functional, and that the establishments are complying with existing environmental norms.
Legal action will be taken against any establishment which is found to be violating these norms, and penalties will be enforced under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. A centralised monitoring system will be created in the form of a real-time electronic dashboard, which will track inspections, violations, and corrective actions.
The concerned departments have also been instructed to coordinate with each other to eliminate bureaucratic delays, and to submit bi-monthly compliance reports to the minister's office.
'This is a crisis that can no longer be ignored. Delhi cannot afford to let untreated sewage flow into its lifelines. No polluter will be spared. We will act, and act fast,' said Verma.
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