ગુજરાતી
English
Notice to take action against CETPs, STPs, Polluting Industries, and Amdavad Municipal Corporation in view of Dangerously Very High COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and zero DO (Dissolved Oxygen) levels observed in the water of Sabarmati River.
It is now known and admitted reality that untreated and poorly treated industrial
effluent and sewage of Ahmedabad city have made Sabarmati River very critically
polluted. Recent joint investigations on 12 March 2019 by Paryavaran Suraksha
Samiti and Gujarat Pollution Control Board, of the pollution levels in the prime water
source of Ahmedabad District has again confirmed the challenging reality on ground.
Copies of the reports are attached herewith this letter.
The stretch of the Sabarmati River in the Ahmedabad city stretch, before the
Riverfront, is dry and within the Riverfront Project stretch, is brimming with stagnant
Water. In the last 120 kilometres, before meeting the Arabian Sea, it is “dead” and
comprises of just industrial effluent and sewage.
On 12 March 2019, the Regional Officers Mr Tushar Shah and Ms Nehalben Ajmera
of Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant of Paryavaran
Suraksha Samiti, Social Activist Mudita Vidrohi of Ahmedabad, Subodh Parmar,
Lawyer of Gujarat High Court, conducted a joint investigation. This was conducted in
the context of implementation of the Order, dated 22.02.2017, of the Supreme Court
in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 375 of 2012 (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti & Anr V/s Union
of India & Ors) about the status of industrial effluent and sewerage discharge into the
Sabarmati River stretch of Ahmedabad District. The investigation reports are
shocking and reveal the disastrous condition of Sabarmati River in and around
Ahmedabad District and about 120 kilometres downstream.
Sabarmati River no longer has any fresh water when it enters the city of
Ahmedabad. The Sabarmati Riverfront has merely become a pool of polluted
stagnant water while the river, downstream of the riverfront, has been reduced to a
channel carrying effluents from industries from Naroda, Odhav, Vatva, Narol, and
sewerage from Ahmedabad city. The drought like condition of the Sabarmati River
intensified by the Riverfront Development has resulted in poor groundwater recharge
and increased dependency on the already ailing Narmada River. The investigation
raises fundamental questions against both, the polluting industries that discharge
their untreated effluents into the Sabarmati River, and the Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation that discharges their poorly treated, untreated sewerage into the
Sabarmati River. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board's top cadre officials have failed
in their duties and responsibilities to protect the Sabarmati River’s water quality,
inspite of the Supreme Court Order dated 22.02.2017, directing strict compliance of
effluent treatment standards, continuous monitoring, and closure of defaulting
industries and Orders dated 03.08.2018 and 19.02.2019 of the National Green
Tribunal, Principal Bench, Delhi, in Original Application No. 593 of 2017, (Paryavaran
Suraksha Samiti & Anr V/s Union of India & Ors) for implementation of the Supreme Court order.
The alarmingly critical and dangerous levels of pollution, far exceeding permissible
levels, as recorded in the investigation report, are summarised below:
a) The Water in Sabarmati Riverfront has 4.66 mg/l DO, 98 mg/l COD, 28 mg/l
BOD, 96 mg/l Sulphate, 153 mg/l Chloride, and 668 mg/l TDS.
b) The First Outfall of STP of Ahmedabad after Vasna Barrage (After Sabarmati
Riverfront) 160 MLD has 337 mg/l COD, 139 mg/l BOD, 108 mg/l Sulphate,
186 mg/l Chloride, and 732 mg/l TDS.
c) The Second Outfall industrial effluent of Ahmedabad after Vasna Barrage –
Strom Water Drain from DaniLimda (After Sabarmati Riverfront) has 1301
mg/l COD, 536 mg/l BOD, 462 mg/l Sulphate, 933 mg/l, Chloride, and 3135
mg/l TDS.
d) The Third Outfall of STP of Ahmedabad after Vasna Barrage (After Sabarmati
Riverfront) 800 MLD has 587 mg/l COD, and 218 mg/l BOD.
e) The Fourth Outfall of Industrial Effluent from Naroda, Odhav, and Vatva
industrial Estates (Mega Pipeline) after Vasna Barrage (After Sabarmat
Riverfront) 40 MLD has 1052 mg/l COD, 210 mg/l BOD, 863 mg/l Sulphate,
4025 mg/l Chloride, and mg/l 9813 TDS.
f) The Fifth Outfall of Industrial Effluent of Narol after Vasna Barrage (After
Sabarmati Riverfront) 100 MLD has 1126 mg/l COD, 427 mg/l BOD, 743 mg/l
Sulphate, 1600 mg/l Chloride, and 5290 mg/l TDS.
g) The Sabarmati River 100 meters after STPs and Industrial Effluent Outfall has
BDL (Beyond Detection Limit) DO, 1009 mg/l COD, 447 mg/l BOD, 612 mg/l
Sulphate, 1665 mg/l Chloride, and 4368 mg/l TDS.
h) Miroli Village pumping station 21 downstream of Vasna Barrage has BDL
(Beyond Detection Limit) DO, 151 mg/l COD, 33 mg/l BOD, 188 mg/l
Sulphate, 491 mg/l, Chloride, and 1466 mg/l TDS.
The following investigation report speaks for itself.
Investigation by Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti and Gujarat Pollution
We would like to emphasize that two STPs sewage discharges, and 3 three
industrial effluent discharges which are critically polluted, critically higher than the
prescribed norms are being dumped into the location downstream of Vasna Barrage,
onwards which the Sabarmati River is completely dry. Actually, we should not allow
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at all any discharge of even so-called treated effluent and sewerage into the river
stretch where river is dry. This amounts to murdering the river and it is a criminal
offence on the part of industry, concerned authorities, Government of Gujarat, and
State of Gujarat.
The pathetic and dismal condition of the Sabarmati River is a cause of grave
concern for the health of the people of the Ahmedabad city and the villages around
Sabarmati River downstream of Riverfront who rely on the river water for their daily
use and livelihood. Some of the major direct and indirect effects of the high levels of
pollution on the people and environment includes contamination of ground water,
food contamination, associated health hazards, loss of natural river habitat, depletion
of ground water levels due to lack of water recharge, loss of flora and fauna, etc.
Urgent action is necessitated in light of these findings to rejuvenate and restore the
Sabarmati River and its water quality, which calls for the strict implementation of the
Supreme Court Order by the concerned authorities.
We demand that:
1. GPCB immediately issues closure notices to all the defaulting industries
located in Ahmedabad industrial clusters, in implementation of the Supreme
Court Order dated 22.02.2017.
2. GPCB immediately issues closer notices to all the defaulting CETPs of the
Ahmedabad industrial cluster, in implementation of the Supreme Court Order
dated 22.02.2017.
3. GPCB immediately issues notices to the Municipal Commissioner of
Ahmedabad to ensure compliance by all STPs in the area.
4. GPCB files criminal cases against the all owners/directors of the defaulting
polluting industries, the officers of the CETPs, and the Municipal
Commissioner of Ahmedabad.
5. MoEFCC should not allow at all any discharge of even so-called treated
effluent and sewerage into the Sabarmati river stretch where river is dry. This
amounts to murdering the river and it is a criminal offence.
6. The GPCB investigates and prepares further detailed reports about the
ground water contamination as well as contamination of the food grains,
vegetables, and fodder.
7. Ensures Interim Exemplary Monetary Compensation along with medical
services to the farmers and villagers who have suffered from the surface
water and groundwater pollution.
8. Immediately pay Interim compensation per season per acre to the farmers
who are forced to use contaminated Sabarmati River water and groundwater
for irrigation of agricultural land and, hence, are facing several severe health
and related socio-economic problems.
9. Appoint a competent interdisciplinary committee of officials and field experts
to assess the ongoing and past damages to quantify the real compensation
payable to the farmers for the damage done.
10. Implement, in letter and spirit, the Order, dated 22.02.2017, of the Supreme
Court in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 375 of 2012 (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti &
Anr V/s Union of India & Ors) and National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench,
Delhi Order, dated 03.08.2018 and 19.02.2019, in Original Application No.
593 of 2017, (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti & Anr V/s Union of India & Ors) in
letter and spirit.
We expect your prompt and positive response in the interest of lives, livelihoods, and
environment of all the concerned areas cities, towns, villages, and hamlets around
the Sabarmati River.
If you do not act now, your inaction shall be considered as non-compliance of the
Hon’ble Supreme Court order, dated 22.02.2017, in our PIL – Writ Petition (Civil) 375
of 2012 and may invite further necessary actions against all above-mentioned
culprits.
– Rohit Prajapati Krishnakant Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
