CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court after a gap of seven years has sought from the State government an update on the steps being taken to tackle the pollution problem in the Brahmani river and its major tributaries. The Court issued an order to this effect when a petition registered suo motu by it in 2014 came up on Tuesday.
Earlier, the Court had sought reports from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the Brahmani river pollution. After the submission of the report by CPCB the Court on August 28, 2015, directed the Chief Secretary to implement the recommendations in the report.
On November 13, 2015, the Chief Secretary filed a compliance report on an affidavit claiming that steps have been taken by the State government pursuant to the recommendations of the CPCB and State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Chittaranjan Dash said, “As more than seven years have elapsed since then the Court would like the State government to file a further affidavit stating whether the recommendations of the CPCB and SPCB are being still implemented and the water quality of the Brahmani river and its tributaries are at the acceptable level.”
The Bench fixed November 16 for the next hearing on the matter and directed the State government to file the affidavit at least two weeks prior to it.