The Rajasthan High Court has recently disposed of a PIL against the discharge of effluents by a private industrial unit into Railmagra Dam.
The petition filed by Bhagwati Prasad and two others alleged that the toxic quality of the effluent so discharged is adversely affecting the groundwater sources as well as the quality of water of the dam which is being used by the public at large. The petitioners got the water samples tested scientifically which confirmed their fears of chemical contamination of the water bodies by the effluents.
Thereafter, they submitted representations to numerous authorities for ventilating the grievance of water pollution being caused by the industrial discharge of the respondent company but no response has been given so far to the genuine issue of public health being adversely effected by such activities.
The Division Bench of Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Vinod Kumar Bharwani having considered the submissions advanced by the petitioners’ counsel and, have gone through the material placed on record noted that before approaching the Court, the petitioners claim to have sent notices/ representation to various authorities on 08.11.2021.
The Bench therefore directed that that a copy of this petition may be presented in form of a representation to the Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur; the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, Jaipur and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Rajsamand along with a copy of the order within next two weeks.
“Upon receiving the same, these authorities shall objectively examine the petitioners’ grievances and pass a reasoned order/ take appropriate action thereupon, within a period of two months from the date of submission thereof. In case, grievance of the petitioners still survives thereafter, they shall be at liberty to take recourse of the suitable remedy for ventilating the same. With the above observations, the instant writ petition is disposed of,” the order reads.