Act Against Lorries Dumping Waste illegally: NGT

The National Green Tribunal directs the respective district Collectors to prevent any sewage dumping in the Buckingham Canal, and seize errant lorries

CHENNAI: The southern bench of National Green Tribunal on Wednesday asked authorities to seize lorries dumping untreated sewage into Buckingham Canal and directed the Special Government Pleader Abdul Saleem to inform the Kancheepuram Collector to take necessary action to prevent the illegal act.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Jawaharlal Shanmugam. Managing director of Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewarage Board (CMWSSB), Vikram Kapur, was summoned by the green bench, but was unable to be present due to prior engagement in Delhi.

Submitting what the government was doing to protect the 47-km stretch of Buckingham Canal, which is excluded by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, and maintained by Public Works Department, Saleem contended that the sewage treatment facility in Chennai is of 760 mld capacity, more than enough to treat the sewage generated of only 530 mld.

However the sewage pipes and pumping station’s capacity is not adequate. Hence action is being taken to increase the capacity of the pipes and as well as the capacity of pumping stations. This work, along with the plugging of 183 sewage outlets, was being undertaken in two phases and would be completed soon.

The petitioner mentioned that lorries were dumping sewage in the canal, to which government counsel responded that around 400 lorries were dumping sewage in the sewage treatment plant daily in Perungudi. As far as unauthorised dumping of sewage by certain lorries, steps have been taken for blocking the access to the lorries.

The NGT directed the respective district Collectors to monitor and prevent any such sewage dumping, and seize such lorries. The CMWSSB was also directed to file the status report as to the action taken till date. The matter has been posted to April 18.

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