The Supreme Court stayed on Monday the order of the National Green Tribunal, which had imposed a fine of Rs 50 crore on the Delhi Jal Board over its failure to prevent untreated sewage from flowing into Yamuna river.
The Apex Court had further stayed the NGT order imposing fine of Rs 100 crore on the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) over its failure to control discharge of untreated sewer waste into the Kondli irrigation canal.
The top court of the country also issued notice on the petition returnable in eight weeks.
On August 6 this year, the Tribunal, headed by its Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, had imposed a cost of Rs 100 crore on Noida and Rs 50 crore over untreated waste flowing down the two major water bodies
The Tribunal had noted that out of the 95 group housing societies in Noida, 56 have sewage treatment facility or partial treatment facility and untreated sewage directly goes into the drain.
With regard to the creation of the environment cell, Noida informed the NGT that it could not be created as the process of hiring professionals has not been completed.
Directing the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to issue appropriate directions to all pollution control boards within two months, the green panel directed for remedial action by the concerned authorities and said the same should be monitored at the highest level by the two states, either directly or through any appropriate mechanism.
The Chief Secretaries of both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will be free to identify the erring officers in the process and take remedial action and recover compensation from such erring officers/violators, including group housing societies, the BGT had added.
The order was passed on a petition filed by Noida resident Abhisht Kusum Gupta against the disposal of sewer waste in the irrigation canal in Sector-137.