NGT sets up panel to probe kidney-related deaths in Odisha’s chromite mining belts
The committee will visit the sites in question and submit its report on an affidavit regarding the allegations made in the complaint letter within four weeks.
Taking cognisance of a video that purportedly shows heaps of plastic waste flowing into the Ashwani Khud river in Himachal Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal has directed the state pollution control board to verify the facts and submit a detailed report within a week.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed its registry to register the matter on its own as a regular case after NGT’s expert member Dr SS Garbyal received a video from one Pankaj Khullar, a former principal chief conservator of forests in Himachal Pradesh.
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Plastic river of the Himalayas. This video was shot at Neri village, Solan, on July 10. The river was entirely covered in plastic after heavy rain in Shimla. Our mountains are under immense ecological pressure! pic.twitter.com/cit7GGnLf9
— Juhi Chawla (@iam_juhi) July 17, 2018
The 1.2-minute video on a “river of plastic” went viral on the social media, showing it was of the Ashwani Khud, near Seri, in Solan district.
It showed that Ashwani Khud, which had supplied drinking water to the city of Shimla till last year, was turned into a “river of plastic”, with enormous quantity of plastic waste seen flowing into the river.
“In view of the alarming situation seen from the video in respect of the plastic waste, the matter requires immediate attention in the interest of protection of environment and public at large. Therefore, we think it appropriate to take cognisance of the matter. We direct the registry of NGT to register it as a regular case.
“The Registrar shall forward the video to the mobile phone of the Member Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, who shall verify the facts and send his report in the matter within one week,” the bench, also comprising Justices Jawad Rahim and R S Rathore, said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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