Status report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in compliance to the National Green Tribunal order May 21, 2020 in Original Application No. 593/2017 (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti & Others Vs Union of India & Others) with Original Application No. 148/2016 (Mahesh Chandra Saxena Vs South Delhi Municipal Corporation & Others).

The NGT had directed all the states/union territories (UT) to ensure formulation and execution of plans for sewage treatment and utilization of treated sewage effluent with respect to each city, town and village. The sewage treatment plants (STPs) must meet the prescribed standards including faecal coliform.

The report of September 16, 2020 contained state-wise compliance status of all industries generating trade effluent and requiring effluent treatment plants (ETP) - as reported by the state pollution control board (SPCB)/pollution control committee (PCC). As per the data received from SPCBs/PCCs:

1. Out of total 64,484 number of industries requring ETPs, 62,653 industries are operating with functional ETPs and 1,831 industries are operating without ETPs.

2. 61,530 industries are complying with environmental standards and 1,123 industries are noncomplying.

3. There are total 191 CETPs, out of which 129 CETPs are complying with environmental standards and 62 CETPs are non-complying.

4. There are total 15,730 STPs (including municipal and other than municipal (non-municipal/stand-alone) STPs), out of which, 15,200 STPs are complying with environmental standards and 530 STPs are non-complying.

5. There are 84 CETPs in construction/proposal stage, whereas, for STPs, 1,081 projects (municipal and non-municipal) are under construction/proposal stage.

The report also contained assessment of impact of lockdown on water quality of major rivers. During the pre-lockdown period (March 2020), SPCBs had collected samples from 388 locations whereas 366 number of samples from the monitoring locations during lockdown (April 2020) from 19 major rivers and collected samples were analysed for Primary Water Quality Criteria for Bathing Water Quality Criteria notified under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.