Godavari pollution
The court granted the request and posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday (Nov 5). The order recorded a chromium level of 50.3 mg/L and stated that contaminated water was entering Godavari through a local nullah at the Kumbh Mela ghat.
Nashik : Bombay high court has expressed serious concern over “alarming” level of water contamination in Nashik and called for “urgent and immediate action” by state govt and its agencies, while hearing a contempt petition linked to Godavari river pollution PIL. “Having perused the test report, we are aghast at the alarming level of water contamination,” the bench observed. The court also described photographs showing the effects of exposure to or consumption of such water on people as “equally disturbing”. Referring to its earlier orders dated March 7, 2014, Dec 19, 2014, and Dec 18, 2018, the court observed that despite these directions, Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Smart City Development Corporation and other authorities were “extremely slow” in taking action to avert contamination in Godavari. The state was also asked to address remedial measures to be taken “on a war footing” to stop hazardous chemicals from being discharged into the river pending commissioning of common effluent treatment and sewage treatment plants.
A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata heard the matter. The bench also took a critical view of the pace of action by the authorities.
The assistant govt pleader sought time to obtain instructions from the Maharashtra chief secretary regarding implementation of the earlier court orders and measures to prevent pollution of Godavari. The matter came up before the high court on Tuesday when state govt’s counsel sought more time to obtain detailed instructions.