National Green Tribunal Issues Notice On Plea Filed Against Fouling Of Ganga By Eateries At West Bengal’s Howrah Railway Station

The National Green Tribunal has issued notice on application filed to take immediate steps for stopping the fouling of river Ganga through discharge of untreated sewage from the hotels and eateries at Howrah Railway Station.

The application sought to remove encroachments from the banks of the river at the Howrah Railway Station.

Observing that Photographs have been filed in support of the averments made which present a very dismal picture of the area in question, the bench of Justice B. Amit Sthalekar and Dr. Arun Verma said,” we are satisfied that substantial questions relating to environment have been raised in the present Original Application.”

Subhas Datta has filed an application against the state and other authorities alleging that the hotels and eateries in the vicinity of Howrah Railway Station are operating without Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board and are also discharging their liquid and solid waste into the river Ganga.

“The backyard of the Railway Mail Service shows a very dirty and unclean spectacle and the septic tanks existing there are having their direct outlet into the river Ganga,” the application stated.

It is also alleged that the Hooghly Nadi Jalapath Paribahan Samabay Samity is being run and managed by the State Government but it has constructed its toilets on the river bank with the waste flowing into the river.

Considering the allegations, the Tribunal issued notice stating that, “The West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Respondent No.7, shall file a detailed counter-affidavit placing on record the list of all the hotels/eateries operating in the area in question, showing how many hotels/eateries are operating with Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP)/Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) and how many are compliant of environmental norms including having Consent to Operate and Consent to Establish.”

The matter is listed for October 10, for further consideration.

Case Title: Subhas Datta v. State of West Bengal & Ors.