The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the West Bengal government for not filing a reply to a PIL on release of untreated effluents by industries and other bodies into rivers across the country and asked its environment secretary to appear before it on 22 February.

A bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justices D Y Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked the official to be present on 22 February as it noted that even after a lapse of five weeks the state has not filed its response before the court.

The court in its last hearing on 16 January, asked eight states to file affidavits within four weeks stating the position of their critically and severely polluted areas.

 All states but West Bengal complied with the apex court's order.  The bench was irked when counsel for West Bengal sought two more weeks to file the affidavit. "Why should we waste time with you (lawyer for the state). You are a wonderful lawyer. You will not file affidavit in five weeks. You want two more weeks' time. And you will also not bring the man as ordered last time. Your environment secretary must be before us day after tomorrow… Every other state has filed its reply and you choose not to file it. Ask your (environment) secretary to remain present," the Bench said, as the counsel for the state government sought two weeks more time to file the counter affidavit in the case.

The apex court had earlier issued notice to the Centre, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Chief Secretaries of 19 states, including Gujarat, on the plea filed by NGO Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti on the issue of pollution in water bodies, including ground water.

Initially, the plea was restricted to Gujarat and later its scope was widened by the apex court which had granted last opportunity to states on 16 January to file their response.

At the outset, the bench said it would pass an order on 22 February on the issues including stoppage of industrial activity till effluent treatment plants are set up by the industries and inquired from CPCB about the possible time taken in establishing the sewage treatment plants (STPs).

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO, said there has been a rise of 300 to 400 per cent in release of untreated liquid wastes in rivers across the country.

 "We may forthwith stop the release of industrial effluents and will allow them to release after they set up the sewage treatment plants. One way is to stop the polluting industries," the court said.

When the counsel for parties tried to elaborate upon the processes involved in the sewage treatment, it said, "You keep saying. We keep listening. But nothing is happening.