Why in News ?
- National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of media reports on sewage contamination of drinking water in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Principal Bench (Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, Expert Member A. Senthil Vel) issued notices to State governments and concerned agencies; sought affidavits.
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) directed to file a response.
- Cities cited: Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Banswara, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bora (Rajasthan); Greater Noida (UP); Bhopal, Indore (MP).
Relevance
- GS III – Environment
- Water pollution, urban environmental governance.
- Enforcement of Water Act, 1974 & EPA, 1986.
- GS II – Polity & Governance
- Role of NGT; environmental adjudication.
- ULB responsibilities (Art. 243W).
Facts & Evidence
- Reports indicate decades-old, corroded pipelines with drinking water lines passing through open sewage drains.
- Health impacts:
- Greater Noida: residents (including children) reported vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Bhopal: E. coli detected in drinking water due to sewage leakage into tube-wells.
- Indore: at least six deaths linked to consumption of contaminated piped water.
- NGT’s prima facie finding: violations of:
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
NGT’s Jurisdiction & Legal Basis
- Suo motu powers: NGT can act on its own based on credible information (including news reports) where environmental harm is alleged.
- Mandate:
- Adjudication of disputes under environmental laws.
- Polluter Pays, Precautionary Principle, Sustainable Development.
- Why Water Contamination fits NGT:
- Drinking water contamination is both environmental pollution and public health risk.
- Direct linkage to Water Act, 1974 and EPA, 1986.
Issues Identified by NGT
- Infrastructure failure:
- Aging pipelines, corrosion, poor maintenance.
- Governance gaps:
- Inadequate surveillance, delayed repairs, weak accountability of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
- Public health emergency:
- Water-borne diseases; risk amplification in dense urban settings.
- Regulatory non-compliance:
- Failure to prevent sewage ingress; unsafe distribution systems.
Constitutional & Governance Dimensions
- Article 21: Right to life includes right to safe drinking water (SC jurisprudence).
- Article 243W & 12th Schedule: ULBs responsible for water supply and sanitation—capacity and funding gaps evident.
- Centre–State–ULB coordination:
- CPCB/SPCB oversight vs municipal execution—fragmentation highlighted.
Environmental & Public Health Linkages
- Water-borne pathogens (e.g., E. coli) signal faecal contamination.
- Environmental neglect translates into acute health crises—NGT bridges this interface.
- Reinforces One Health perspective (environment–animal–human health continuum).
Accountability & Compliance
- Affidavits detailing:
- Source of contamination; pipeline maps; age and material of networks.
- Immediate containment steps; chlorination and flushing protocols.
- Health surveillance data and compensation, if any.
- Action plans:
- Time-bound replacement of pipelines; separation of sewer and water lines.
- Continuous water quality monitoring; public disclosure.
- Liability:
- Fixing responsibility on agencies; application of Polluter Pays where applicable.
Challenges
- Chronic underinvestment in urban water infrastructure.
- Lack of real-time water quality monitoring at distribution endpoints.
- Poor asset management and GIS mapping.
- Reactive responses post-outbreak rather than preventive maintenance.
Way Forward
- Immediate:
- Emergency disinfection, alternate safe water supply, health camps.
- Short-term:
- Audit and replace corroded pipelines; ensure physical separation from sewers.
- Ward-level water testing with public dashboards.
- Medium-term:
- Asset management plans; leak detection; pressure management.
- Strengthen SPCBs/ULBs with funds and technical capacity.
- Regulatory:
- Enforce Water Act standards; penalties for non-compliance.
- Institutionalise NGT directions into municipal SOPs.
Prelims Pointers
- NGT can take suo motu cognisance of environmental violations.
- Water contamination falls under Water Act, 1974 and EPA, 1986.
- CPCB is the apex technical body at the Centre.
- E. coli indicates faecal contamination.
