New Delhi: Observing that it is the responsibility of the State to take remedial measures to enforce the right of the citizens to clean water, the National Green Tribunal has formed a committee and directed it to submit report on status of ground water at a village in Punjab's Sangrur district.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a committee comprising officials from the Central Pollution Control Board, Regional Officer of Union Environment Ministry Chandigarh, state pollution control board, a nominee of Secretary Environment Department, Punjab and District Magistrate, Sangrur.
The NGT noted that the problem has been existing for more than 10 years and according to the state pollution control board, a private factory which was closed 15
years ago, is responsible for contamination.
It is also reported that this tribunal had imposed compensation of Rs. two crore on the said factory for restoration of the environment but the amount was not recovered, the bench noted.
"If the report is correct, polluted water has potential for adversely affecting the inhabitants. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the State to take remedial
measures to enforce the right of the citizens to clean water," the bench said.
The NGT directed the panel to submit report within two months by e-mail and asked it to ascertain the number of tube wells discharging coloured water, depth of such wells, aquifer status in terms of movement and extent of contamination, characteristics of contaminated water with reference to effluent sludge disposed by the industry in question.