National Green Tribunal appoints monitoring committee to oversee the Yamuna rejuvenation project

The NGT directs three Governments to deposit Rs.10 crore each in a month

• The National Green Tribunal has formed a monitoring committee on the cleaning of the Yamuna and directed it to submit an action plan on the issue. The National Green Tribunal expressed dissatisfaction over the cleaning of river Yamuna and directed Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to submit a performance guarantee deposit of Rs. 10 crore each within a month.
• A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel gave directions to the states to submit a performance guarantee with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to ensure no further lapse in the issue.
• The tribunal also warned that chief secretaries will be personally liable for any non performance of the guidelines. It also clarified that the amount will be forfeited if the work was not carried out as per the recommendations of the monitoring committee.
• With regard to idol immersion at various festivals, the committee has asked the authorities to look for any possibilities to create artificial ponds and pits in various localities.

Brief Recommendations of the NGT Committee 

• It directed that steps be taken by the three states at the earliest for disposal of municipal solid waste, cleaning of drains and ensuring cleaning of garbage.
• The monitoring committee in its action plan submitted has recommended a study to assess the environmental flow of Yamuna river for the stretch between Hathanikund and Okhla.
• The river was “fighting to stay alive” and it would not be possible to rejuvenate it unless minimum environmental flow was provided.
• With regard to idol immersion, the committee has asked the authorities in the city to look for the possibility of creating artificial ponds and pits in various localities.
• The NGT had earlier asked the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to consult the members of the monitoring committee appointed by the tribunal for constituting their own full time committees.
• The green panel had noted that almost 67 per cent of the pollutants that enter the Yamuna would be treated by two sewage treatment plants at Delhi Gate and Najafgarh under the first phase of the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation project.

What is National Green Tribunal?

• National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (NGT) is an Act of the Parliament of India which enables creation of a special tribunal to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues.
• It draws inspiration from the India’s constitutional provision of Article 21, which assures the citizens of India the right to a healthy environment.
• The tribunal shall consist of a full time chairperson, judicial members and expert members. The minimum number of judicial and expert member prescribed is ten in each category and maximum number is twenty in each category.

Pic courtesy:News Experts