Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding pollution of Jhinjharia stream, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, 10/06/2020

Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Savita Kumari Vs State of Jharkhand dated 10/06/2020.

The matter related to illegal obstruction of natural flow and characteristics of Jhinjharia stream with its outfall into the Dhobia talab, a lake in Hazaribagh, District Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. It was alleged that the stream which is of about 5 km in length and 30 feet in width was on the verge of extinction due to unauthorized and illegal constructions. The Dhobia talab which was originally 12 acres in size had now shrunk to only 5 to 6 acres.

The Jhinjharia stream flow through Hazaribagh to join Konar river in the periphery of Hazaribagh town. It was stated that the sewage of the entire residential area was discharged into the stream grossly polluting and contaminating it. Dhobia talab which is situated in the vicinity of Anandpuri colony, a residential colony, gets severely polluted by the sewage discharged from the colony in addition to the heavily polluted water of the Jhinjaria stream.

River Konar which was the main source of water for the Hazaribagh town consequently also gets polluted due to the water of the Jhinjaria stream. Complaint was also made about the disposal of municipal solid waste as well as construction waste into the Dhobia talab and the Jhinhjaria stream.

The NGT directed the constitution of a committee to visit the site in question and file a report. In the meanwhile, the tribunal prohibited further construction being undertaken in the area leading to encroachment of the water body and the stream and, from disposing off solid waste and discharging sewage in the water bodies. Status Quo shall be maintained strictly, the NGT warned.