Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding lack of drainage and sewage facilities, Belpahar Municipality, Jharsuguda district, Odisha, 06/01/2022

Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Nabin Kisan Vs State of Odisha & Others dated 06/01/2022.

A joint committee in its report to the Tribunal said that the Belpahar Municipality has not provided proper drainage, network for collection of waste water including sewage and sludge water and also has not installed Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) of adequate capacity, it has not been obtained Consent to Establish (CTE) or Consent to Operate (CTO) and, therefore, is in violation of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

The NGT directed the District Magistrate, Jharsuguda to lodge First Information Report (FIR) against the sub-Collector-cum-Administrator, Belpahar Municipality and file affidavit of compliance by the next date of listing (February 4, 2022). The District Magistrate shall also go through the findings of the committee, its observations, conclusion and recommendation and inform the Tribunal what action has been taken at his end by the Odisha Government.