The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been ordered to identify illegal connections and outfalls from which waste water is being released into the Sabarmati river by a Gujarat High Court bench consisting of justices JB Pardiwala and VD Nanavati.
The court stated that once such illegal connections are traced and detected, they will be severed, and appropriate legal action will be taken against the individual or society found releasing untreated waste water directly into the Sabarmati.
The bench directed the civic body and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board to be in the action mode in cases of pollution caused by industrial units and residential societies.
The AMC was directed to ensure strict surveillance of illegal/unauthorised waste water being discharged into the storm water drains. “A methodology needs to be devised to put a check on this issue in future as well,” the HC suggested.
“The GPCB along with AMC is directed to submit a comprehensive report of the pollution load, based on the actual quantities of the industrial effluent, sewage and other waste water discharged in the Sabarmati through known outfalls and drains as well as those identified through the drone survey. The report shall also include heavy metals,” the bench said.
AMC counsel Gursharan Virk informed the court that World Bank (under the Gujarat Resilient Cities Programme – GRCP) has agreed to give financial assistance for the upgradation of the 126 MLD Vasna STP.
The Gujarat High Court has warned six textile mills with fines.
The six mills filed a case, arguing that because the AMC took action against them; such action should be taken by the state’s competent authorities, as well as against all other erring industrial units, which should be forced to file a compliance report.