NGT issues notice to authorities over Godavari river pollution in Telangana

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has sought a reply from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and others in a matter regarding the alleged severe pollution in the Godavari river, particularly in Telangana, caused by unchecked discharge of industrial effluents and untreated sewage.

The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report, which claimed that pollution levels in Telangana's stretch of the Godavari river had reached a critical point, with districts such as Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam being the worst affected.

"News items further state that in places like Bhadrachalam, the river water has turned black and emits a foul odour, making it unfit for human use," said a bench of NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel in an order dated May 29.

"Furthermore, the news item reports that Maharashtra's 300 km stretch of the Godavari, from Nashik to Paithan, is experiencing extremely high organic pollution, with elevated BOD levels that threaten aquatic life," the order added.

The bench noted the report, as per which "heavy metal contamination in Aurangabad and Paithan has resulted in excessive levels of iron, zinc, nickel and copper, rendering the water unsafe for consumption" and that "the pollution crisis" was intensifying in "Andhra Pradesh, particularly from Rajamahendravaram to the Dowleswaram Barrage, identified as one of the most polluted segments of any river in India".

"The news item states that agricultural runoff, including fertilizers and pesticides from fields near Nashik and Nanded, flows directly into the river without any filtration," the bench said.

The report revealed "substantial issues" regarding compliance with environmental norms, it said.

The bench impleaded as respondents or parties the member secretaries of the CPCB and Telangana State Pollution Control Board and the chairman of Godavari River Management Board.

"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply," it said posting the matter before its southern bench in Chennai on August 1. PTI MNR AS AS