The Gujarat High Court on Mar 22 expressed strong displeasure with the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for its failure to furnish satisfactory information about the need for a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in the city and its future action plan.
A bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Vaibhavi D Nanavati was hearing a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL) on the pollution of the Sabarmati River.
The court had earlier asked the AMC to submit an affidavit detailing the number of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the city, their capacity, and the future action plan to treat the sewage generated.
AMC informed the HC that the city houses a total of 16 STPs with a total capacity of 1,335 MLD. While the total STP produced is currently 1,300 MLD.
A total of 23 STPs will be required to treat the sewage produced in Ahmedabad by 2040.
High Court reprimands AMC
The bench pointed out that the AMC’s blueprint did not provide details about the maximum capacity of the STP plants, their shortcomings, the time frame within which the plants would be made fully functional, and the total quantity of sewage generated in Ahmedabad.
The court pulled up the AMC and its lawyers for not providing the required information and gave them a last chance to submit a fresh affidavit with clear details.
The bench also questioned the AMC’s claim that it was treating all the sewage generated in the city.
“Your existing STPs are not working at full capacity. So, the amount of sewage being treated. The blueprint presented by the AMC seems to be hiding the shortcomings. Despite repeated requests and directions, the AMC has not provided any details about how much sewage is currently being handled or treated by all the STPs,” the court said.
The court grilled the AMC’s lawyers with some pointed questions: “What steps will you take to address your shortcomings? You don’t even know where you stand right now.”
When the AMC was unable to offer satisfactory answers or explanations to the questions, the chief justice was visibly furious and slammed the corporation, warning the AMC of a serious order, if satisfactory answers are not provided.