The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on 19 May, banned open defecation and dumping of waste on Yamuna floodplains and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for those who violated the order.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also organised a committee, headed by Delhi Jal Board chief executive officer (CEO), to oversee work pertaining to cleaning of the Yamuna and asked the committee to submit regular reports with updates.
The Delhi government and the municipal corporations were directed to immediately take action against industries which operate in residential areas and are a major source of pollution to the river.
The tribunal said that almost 67 percent of the pollution that finds its way into the Yamuna would be treated by two sewage treatment plants (STP) located at Delhi Gate and Najafgarh under Phase 1 of the 'Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017'.
On 1 May, the tribunal ordered inspection of the STPs at Delhi Gate and Okhla to ensure the wastewater it was processing was cleaned before it was drained into the Yamuna. It had even sought a report regarding the functioning of these plants.
The tribunal was informed that a total of 14 STP projects are to be constructed to clean wastewater in Delhi. Of these, seven are to be built by the Delhi Jal Board with its own funds.
The directions were part of the NGT hearing a plea on the monitoring and progress in implementation of the 'Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017'.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)