Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding discharge of untreated water, waste into Gandhi Sagar lake, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, 16/01/2025
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Central Zone Bench, Bhopal) in the matter of Babulal Jajoo Vs State of Rajasthan & Others dated 16/01/2025.
The issue of encroachments, discharge of untreated water, sewage effluents throwing the municipal solid waste resulting in contamination of the water in the Gandhi Sagar lake commonly known as Gandhi Sagar Talab in Bhilwara, Rajasthan has been raised in the application.
A joint committee report stated that a wide open nallah was joining to the inlet catchment /entrance point of Gandhi Sagar Talab. The nallah is designated for rain water flow to the Gandhi Sagar Talab and also having sluice gate at intake. But presently, nallah was observed heavily chocked with garbage and municipal solid and plastic waste and no cleaning or screening facility was observed at site. That earlier before 2024, various untapped nallah was joining this broad badla chauraha nallah carrying heavy flow of untreated sewage into Gandhi Sagar Talab but after installation of sewer line project attached with Sewage Treatment Plant -30 MLD, untreated sewage quantum reaching to this nallah has been reduced.
As per the information provided by Municipal Corporation, approximately 1.0-1.5MLD sewage mixed water is still coming into Gandhi Sagar Talab. The sewage was flowing in Gandhi Sagar Talab is due to commercial establishment Located at Badla Chouraha Road, non-connected commercial shops and establishment with sewer line, households located in nearby colonies which are left from sewer connectivity and other untapped minor nallah coming from across Chittorgarh Road area viz, Chandra Shekhar Azad Nagar, Kawa Kheda Basti, Transport Nagar Area, Ramdham Area ultimately joining the Gandhi Sagar Badla nallah. Bulk quantum of garbage and plastic waste were also found floating at the inlet and overflow points as well as at corner pockets of the Talab area. Status of accumulation and floating plastic garbage reveals that cleaning of screens and intake and corner pocket areas are not being done regularly.
The bench of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh noted that the report filed by the SPCB noted that there is a huge gap in the existing STPs and the STPs which are required according to the norms for treatment of the untreated water. Municipal Council, Bhilwara was directed by the NGT to take necessary steps for taking remedial measures and to ensure that there should not any discharge of untreated water into the water body.