NGT Orders Mapping Of Sewage Outfalls Into Bhopal Lakes, Seeks Zero Untreated Discharge Plan

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the authority concerned to identify all drain outfalls discharging sewage wastewater into Bhopal's Upper Lake, Lower Lake and other major lakes.

It also ordered immediate steps to prevent untreated sewage discharge by intercepting and diverting wastewater to functional sewage treatment plants. RTI activist Nitin Saxena had filed the petition.

The tribunal stated that suitable cameras (PTZ, Tilt and Zoom) and digital flow meters may also be installed at the pumping houses, pumping stations established or operating under the Bhoj Wetland and other sewage interception arrangements around the Upper Lake to verify the record of their operation and the discharge.

As per NGT order, direction has been given to the State PCB to prepare a comprehensive status report identifying all sewage outfalls into the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake, quantity of sewage generated and intercepted, installed and operational capacity of the concerned STPs, pumping stations and sewerage network and discharge and time-bound action plan for achieving zero discharge of untreated sewage into the lake.

Such exercise be completed with the Wetland Authority of Madhya Pradesh, District Wetland Conservation Committee and State Pollution Control Board and to submit the factual and action taken report within three weeks.

No construction within 50 m of FTL

Direction has also been given restricting construction either temporary or permanent within 50 metres from high flood level/FTL of Bhoj Wetland.

If there are any constructions raised within the wetland area, those illegal constructions must be removed immediately within three months positively in due process of law.