Can Industrial Waste In River Go To NGT?

Answer:

Yes, industrial waste discharged into a river can be taken to NGT. Industrial waste may include untreated effluent, chemicals, dyes, heavy metals, acids, oils, sludge, pharmaceutical waste, distillery waste, tannery discharge, textile waste, paper mill effluent, or mixed industrial wastewater. When such waste enters a river, it can damage aquatic life, contaminate drinking water sources, affect agriculture, pollute groundwater, and create long-term ecological harm.

An NGT application should identify the industry or industrial area, the discharge point, the drain or channel through which waste reaches the river, and the authority that failed to stop the pollution. Evidence may include photos, videos, water colour, smell, dead fish, lab reports, consent documents, complaints to SPCB, inspection records, or RTI information. If the exact industry is unknown, the applicant can ask NGT to direct a joint committee to identify the source.

Authorities may include the State Pollution Control Board, CPCB, District Magistrate, industrial development authority, municipal body, and the suspected industries. If industries are operating without Consent to Operate or violating consent conditions, this should be specifically mentioned.

CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards perform key roles in preventing, controlling, and abating water pollution. NGT can order inspection, sampling, closure, compensation, and restoration when industrial waste harms a river.