BHOPAL : Central Zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the district collector of Anuppur district and the officials of Pollution Control Board (PCB) to be present during the next hearing in a case related to pollution at the point of origin of Narmada at Amarkantak in Anuppur district.
NGT passed the order for their presence in-person during the hearing of the case on Thursday.
NGT sought details about the preparations done by the district administration for the culmination ceremony of Narmada Yatra at Amarkantak.
The petition was filed by one Sanjiv Tiwari in 2015 against the state citing pollution at the point of origin of Narmada at Amarkantak.
Counsel of the petitioner, Dharamveer Sharma said NGT had asked the district collector of Anuppur to present the details about the preparations to handle estimated five lakh people to be present during the culmination ceremony who would take a holy dip in the river.
“The court has asked the collector to present a report about the preparations to handle such huge number of people at the river’s origin as there are high chances that it would increase the pollution level in the river. Apart, NGT has also asked a status report of the actions taken by PCB to find the source of coliform bacteria found in Narmada at Amarkantak. Coliform bacteria, is usually found in feces and in sewage water. It was found in Narmada at the point of its origin during a test. The tribunal has sought a detailed report about the preventive actions taken by PCB to curb pollution and stop the infusion of sewage water in the river which it (NGT) had earlier said was the reason behind presence of coliform in Narmada,” said Sharma.
