Reports sought on sewage dumping in Cooum river
CHENNAI: The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater), and other agencies to file their reports on sewage dumping in Cooum river.
Moreover, the Principal Bench also instructed the Southern Bench in Chennai to hear a suo motu case about the issue.
Citing a news report of a private tanker discharging sewage from Mogappair bridge, the NGT observed that Rs 735 Crore was spent since 2015 by Chennai River Restoration Trust.
Observing that the Metrowater had spent Rs 193.25 crores to plug 37 out of 40 sewage inlets as per 2023 data and Metrowater has also spent substantial amounts for building monitoring and control centres to keep tabs on licensed private sewage tankers plying in the city, the NGT noted that the GPS of Metrowater is not working efficiently.
Apart from TNPCB and Metrowater, the NGT has impleaded the Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Chennai district collector.
During a hearing, the Metrowater informed the NGT that the tanker lorry was traced out and a fine of Rs 25,000 has been imposed. However none of the respondents could disclose the source from where sewage was received by the tanker, the place of its loading, person/ authority on whose instructions such sewage was loaded and other details.
Since the respondents sought time to file a detailed report, the NGT gave 4-week time to submit the report.