NGT Directs Rajasthan And Punjab Pollution Control Boards To Conduct Joint Study On Increasing Cancer Patients

Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board (RJSPCB) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to commission a joint study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi or the Indian Toxicological Research Institute (ITRI), Lucknow.

The aim of the study is to identify the root causes of the increasing number of cancer patients in both states, as recommended in the report of the Joint Committee.

The principal bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr. Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member) heard the application for directing the State of Punjab to stop the pollution of drinking water in the Gang Canal flowing to Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

The application alleged that hundreds of people are getting sick every day by drinking the polluted water, and some senior officers of the Punjab administration are supporting factory owners in polluting the Gang Canal through their inaction.

The applicant further averred that the Tribunal has issued several warnings in the past, but they have not had any impact.

In July 2022, the NGT constituted a Joint Committee with directions to submit a factual and action-taken report on the matter.

The report of the Joint Committee mentions that the district of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan receives good quality water throughout the year, except in the months of May and June, during which the quality of water deteriorates due to stagnation near the gates during the closure period of the canal. The report also mentions that remedial measures are being taken to address this issue.

The report on the analysis of water samples collected at different levels for chemical, bacteriological parameters, and heavy metals from January 2022 to February 2023 revealed that no heavy metals were detected, and various parameters were found to be within permissible limits.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board has already identified the sources of pollution discharging effluent to the drains leading to rivers, and remedial measures such as the establishment of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are being taken, states the report.

The report states that incidents of cancer patients in the area cannot be attributed to canal water. However, the suggestion has been made to the CPCB to conduct a study through ICMR or any other reputable institute to investigate the issue further and determine if any necessary remedial measures need to be taken.

The Joint Committee has also recommended that the Government of Rajasthan must ensure that the raw water from the canal reaching the urban and rural areas of the district is subjected to conventional treatment and disinfection before being supplied to the public for potable purposes.

It is also recommended to ensure that no unauthorized supply of canal water, without the required treatment and disinfection, is made available to the public, specifically in rural areas.

In light of the report, the NGT has directed that the appropriate remedial measures, as mentioned in the Joint Committee's report, be taken.

The NGT has also directed the RJSPCB and PPCB to conduct a joint study, as suggested in the Joint Committee's report, to identify the root causes of the increasing number of cancer patients in both states. The study will be conducted by either ICMR, New Delhi or ITRI, Lucknow.

The NGT further directed that upon completion of the study, the Member Secretary of RSPCB should send copies of the study report to the Chief Secretaries of the Governments of Rajasthan and Punjab, respectively. The concerned authorities should take appropriate measures in accordance with the observations and recommendations provided in the study report within a time-bound manner. Additionally, the Member Secretary of RSPCB and PSPCB should ensure that a copy of the study report is uploaded on the websites of RSPCB and PSPCB.

Case Title- G.S. Bansal v. State of Punjab & Ors.

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