On February 24, 2020 (Monday) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) presented its report of Murthal to National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel. In its report CPCB mentioned that restaurants and roadside eateries were operating in Murthal without prior permission of State Pollution Control Board and also extracting ground water without permission.
The bench issued a decree to the units which are emitting less than 10 KLD effluent which should be required to install modular (Sewage Treatment Plants) STPs to avoid their transportation elsewhere after observing the report which shows a “sorry state of affairs”.
CPCB along with Haryana State Pollution Control Board and Municipal Corporation inspected Murthal area as per directed by NGT while hearing plea of the area resident Abhay Dahiya and others against illegal dumping and burning of garbage, and discharge of untreated water by various establishments, including restaurants on G T Road, Murthal in Sonipat district.
CPCB in its report recommended that "The state board must have robust mechanism to evaluate compliance with norms of such units at least twice a year. The local authorities concerned should provide the necessary infrastructure, including collection and processing of segregated waste and collection and treatment of sewage from such units".
The body also recommended that the units should properly channelize the fugitive emissions, including emissions from cooking and kitchen operations, by providing proper ducting and exhaust system.
The tribunal had earlier directed authorities to expedite setting up of a solid waste treatment plant for management of garbage generated by eateries and asked why a decentralised treatment plant has not been set up by the 'dhabas' in the area.
As per report presented by State Pollution Control Board, the tribunal observed that the integrated solid waste management project is expected to be completed by December 31, 2020.
Author – Satwik Sharma
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