SC gets strict with industrial units 

The Supreme Court has issued a common notice to all industries across the country to verify if they have installed primary effluent treatment plants (PETPs) as mandated under the legal provisions. The notice expires in three months after which the state pollution control boards have been ordered to conduct the inspection of the units to ascertain if PETPs are functional. Also, the court has ordered to disconnect power supply to the defaulting units and directed the local civic authorities to set up common effluent treatment plants within three years of the completion of formalities.   

NGT orders inspection of e-waste burning on the banks of Ramganga

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the environment ministry, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state pollution control board to jointly inspect alleged dumping and burning of e-waste on the banks of the Ramganga river and submit a report before March 24. The order has come following a petition against illegal processing of e-waste along the river in Moradabad, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. Also, as per the petition, the soil samples collected near Ramganga were found to have higher levels of copper, chromium and cadmium.

SC seeks status report of Yamuna clean-up

The Supreme Court has ordered the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to file a comprehensive status report on the operation of interceptor sewerage projects (ISP) and sewage treatment plants (STP) within two weeks. However, the DJB has informed the apex court that 85 percent of ISP work has been completed and the project would be operational by the end of March. The court also reprimanded the governments of Delhi, UP and Haryana who have been unable to reduce pollution in Yamuna river in the last two decades, even after spending a whopping Rs 4,439 crore on the river clean-up.

Bellandur lake fire: NGT issues notice

After a fire broke out in the Bellandur lake last week, the National Green Tribunal has issued a suo moto show cause notice to various state authorities such as the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as to why they should not be prosecuted under the Environment Protection Act. Also, the tribunal has sought an action plan within two weeks on the revival of water bodies in Bengaluru.

Gujarat allocates Rs 5,100 crore for water supply project in Kutch

The Gujarat government has allocated Rs 5,100 crore for the monumental Sardar Sarovar project. The project envisages to take one million acre feet of flood waters of Narmada river to Kutch region for irrigating 22,300 hectares and supplying drinking water to the Border Security Force (BSF) posted on the Indo-Pakistan border. Along with this, there are plans to strengthen the 20-year-old Narmada canals and build a new barrage across the Narmada river to prevent salinity ingress. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from February 21 - 26, 2017. Also, read the news this week.