Latest news with #PrakashShrivastava
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
‘Sewage in tap water': DJB told to take remedial actions
A report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found a 'high level' of E. coli bacteria — microbes from human and animal excreta — in drinking water supplied to A1 Block, Janakpuri, by the Delhi Jal Board, as per an order of the National Green Tribunal. 'The report of the CPCB clearly reflects that high levels of total coliform and E. coli have been detected in five samples,' states the July 16 order by NGT's Principal Bench, comprising chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Sudhir Agarwal and expert members A. Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad. The tribunal was hearing a plea by the area's residents' welfare association about the DJB's supply of water mixed with sewage. The CPCB had collected and tested six samples from the area. The RWA stated in the petition submitted in March that the sewage pipeline in the west Delhi locality is blocked, and the line supplying drinking water is corroded, allowing sewage to mix with the potable water. The NGT directed the DJB to fix the issue and provide clean water from an alternative source until the issue is resolved. 'Outdated infra' On June 4, the DJB submitted an affidavit to the court stating that it would finish the repair work on the sewage pipeline by June 30 to prevent the supply of contaminated water. It also told the court that the sewerage and potable water infrastructure were over 40 years old and that the process of replacing them as a 'permanent solution' would be initiated after the monsoon and completed within six months of awarding the contracts. In its order last week, the green court noted that the water samples taken on June 30 were found to be 'highly contaminated' with 'Hence, prima facie, we find that the action in terms of the [DJB's] undertaking has not been taken,' read the order. The NGT also noted that the DJB's counsel 'tried to dispute' the report suggesting high levels of E. coli bacteria. It asked the CPCB to 'take fresh samples and submit the sample analysis report promptly'. On July 19, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the the government will overhaul the water pipelines within a year.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Heritage peepals chopped, NGT wants green fines for violations
Gurgaon: National Green Tribunal (NGT) took note of the illegal felling of heritage peepal trees by Faridabad Animal Husbandry department on its office premises, which violated tree-cutting conditions that required transplantation. In a hearing on July 16, the principal bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, noted that while felling permission was granted with conditions, the department cut down at least eight ficus trees—including five peepal trees—without fulfilling the requirement to transplant them. The order came in response to a petition filed by Viyana Berwal and others, who raised concerns over the act being committed on govt land. Following the petition, a joint committee constituted by the tribunal visited the site and found evidence of the violations. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon According to the committee's report submitted in Jan, the agency received permission to cut 52 trees on the condition that it would plant 260 saplings and transplant 8 ficus trees. However, during inspection, the six trees were found felled without evidence of transplantation. Moreover, the report said that the user agency was to plant five times the number of trees and transplant 8 ficus trees along with submission of the land plan for plantation, but deputy director of Animal Husbandry Department violated the condition and cut down 8 ficus trees instead of transplanting them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "During the joint committee visit to the said premises, stumps of 3 peepal trees and 3 other ficus trees were found. Despite obtaining felling permission, the user agency was found to have violated condition number 12 of the felling permission," the report read. The tribunal took note of the report and said the violation could attract environmental compensation. "In view of the findings recorded by the joint committee, the issue of calculation and imposition of environmental compensation arises. Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has now been impleaded as respondent in this original application," read the order of the bench including chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Magistrate Sudhir Agarwal and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad. HSPCB was not originally a party in the case. The tribunal directed the board to file an affidavit calculating the environmental compensation based on the joint committee's findings and submit it a week before the next hearing, which is scheduled for Oct 16.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Water contamination in Janakpuri: NGT asks CPCB to collect fresh samples
New Delhi: After Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) once again found faecal coliform and E. coli in water samples collected from five houses in Janakpuri's A Block, National Green Tribunal pulled up Delhi Jal Board for not taking remedial measures. The tribunal has asked CPCB to collect fresh samples after the local residents claimed that a report from a private laboratory showed a high level of water contamination. The tribunal is hearing a plea based on the grievance of the residents welfare association in A1 Block, Janakpuri, who claimed that they are not receiving fresh drinking water that meets the requisite norms. The tribunal, in an order dated July 16, observed that the report of CPCB clearly reflected that a high level of total coliform and E. coli was detected in five samples. "At this stage, it would be worth noting that the tribunal in the previous proceedings dated May 30 took note of the fact that the original application was pending for the last three months and the issue relating to the supply of sewage-mixed water was not remediated by DJB. The tribunal also recorded the statement of the chief engineer, DJB, for giving an undertaking within three days in the form of an affidavit that the problem will be remediated and none of the residents will get the supply of water having faecal coliform and E. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hear better, live easier Amplifon Book Now Undo coli," said the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The tribunal further said that DJB would continue to proceed with the remedial measures. "It has also been suggested by counsel for the applicant that to solve the immediate problem, the supply of fresh water can be made from the Haiderpur water plant. Let this also be examined by DJB," said NGT.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
NGT takes suo motu cognisance of Express report on garbage crisis in Southeast Delhi
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a report by The Indian Express on uncollected garbage choking parts of Southeast Delhi, observing that localities such as Shaheen Bagh and Sarita Vihar are facing a 'serious garbage problem' that's affecting the daily lives of residents. A three-member bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava Wednesday registered the case based on the June 12 report, titled, 'We can smell it even inside our homes: Southeast Delhi localities choke on garbage'. In its order uploaded Thursday, the Tribunal quoted extensively from the news report, which highlighted how delays in municipal decisions have left garbage piling up for days across several colonies. 'The article states that garbage has been left uncollected for many days, causing bad smells and health problems. In Shaheen Bagh, streets that usually have food stalls now smell like rotten trash. The article also mentions that on High Tension Road, also called 40-futta, big garbage piles near homes have many flies around them,' the Tribunal noted in its order. Citing resident complaints, the NGT recorded: 'People say they can't walk outside without covering their faces, and the bad smell comes inside their houses too.' The order attributed the garbage crisis to delays in renewing the Rs 900-crore contract with Dakshin Dilli Swachh Initiatives Limited (DDSIL), the private firm handling waste collection. The contract ended in November 2023 and has only been extended temporarily. The delay, as per the report and noted by the Tribunal, was due to the stalled formation of the MCD Standing Committee, which is needed to approve large financial decisions. The committee — an 18-member body without whose approval no proposals exceeding Rs 5 crore can be cleared — was recently constituted after a delay of two-and-a-half years. 'The article explains that the delay in forming the MCD Standing Committee… is stopping the contract from being renewed or payments being made. Because of this, DDSIL and MCD have stopped collecting garbage,' the NGT said, adding that councillors and officials quoted in the report had pointed to a shortage of working trucks and no viable solution until the Standing Committee is constituted. The Tribunal said the matter 'raises substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment,' and may attract provisions of The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The Tribunal has issued notices to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the District Magistrate of Southeast Delhi, directing them to submit their responses by October 1.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Water safety concerns continue in Janakpuri as CPCB detects E coli, faecal coliform in samples
New Delhi: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which collected fresh drinking water samples from five houses in Janakpuri's A Block on June 30, found faecal coliform and E. coli, indicating that water contamination remains unresolved. Earlier in May, CPCB had collected water samples and found that around 30%, or six out of 20 samples, contained E. coli and faecal coliform. According to standards, total coliform and E. coli should be completely absent in drinking water. National Green Tribunal (NGT) had criticised the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for failing to provide clean drinking water to residents. NGT is currently hearing a plea filed by Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of A1 Block, Janakpuri, which claims that the water supplied does not meet required safety norms. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi In its order dated May 30, NGT directed DJB to ensure the supply of uncontaminated drinking water to the affected residents through an alternative source until the contamination is addressed. The tribunal also ordered fresh sampling on June 30 by the CPCB at six households, with the report due by July 15. On June 30, CPCB collected water samples from five houses supplied by the DJB; residents of the sixth house did not permit sampling, so samples were taken from another house within the same block. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The report stated, "Total coliform and E. coli have been detected in all five samples. The Drinking Water Standards of the Bureau of Indian Standards (IS 10500:2012) prescribe that total coliform and E. coli must not be detected in 100 ml of drinking water samples." The levels of E. coli ranged from 7.8 most probable number (MPN) per 100 ml to 280,000 units per 100 ml. The bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, in its May 30 order, remarked, "It is unfortunate that this matter has been pending before the tribunal for over three months. Such a serious complaint regarding the supply of sewage-contaminated water, with detected total coliform and E. coli, has yet to be addressed by the DJB. They must be sensitive to the hardships faced by residents due to the lack of clean drinking water. "
