New Delhi: Every household in Delhi will have to pay a minimum environment compensation of 100 rupees for generating sewage that merges in the Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal ordered on Friday.
New Delhi — In authorized colonies, this compensation would be directly proportional to the property tax or water bill, whichever is higher. For those residing in unauthorised colonies or not paying water bills, the amount would be Rs.100 to Rs.500.
Individuals, including municipal corporation employees, will be slapped with a fine of Rs.5,000 for throwing or dumping waste into drains in the National Capital, it said. Municipal corporations of Delhi will clean all the drains. They will also ensure that no illegal, unauthorized washing, slaughtering or running of dairies is permitted on the banks of the drains. All of this will have to be done in a month’s time.
“We direct Delhi government, Delhi Jal Board and all municipal corporations, Cantonment Board, electricity companies like BSES and other civic authorities to levy environmental compensation on every household, which is generating sewage in the NCT of Delhi on the ‘Polluters Pay Principle’,” directed the bench,headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar. “The monthly compensation would be determined by the authority concerned with reference to the construction existing on the plot. The amount received shall be deposited with the Delhi government,” it added.
This amount would be charged irrespective of whether a household is sewered or not and would be equally applicable to the household located in the unauthorised colonies, the tribunal clarified. Payment of environmental compensation shall be added to electricity bill, water bill and the property tax demand in order of preference by the respective department, India Today reported.
The court also directed Delhi Jal Board to submit the complete action plan and time frame for completion of first phase of Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalization Plan, 2017 within one week from Friday.
“We will not grant any further extension and the erring officer would be personally liable for default,” the bench said.
The tribunal said: “Of the entire pollution of Yamuna river, 76 per cent is generated in NCT Delhi. Industrial effluents and untreated sewage are carried into the Yamuna and with passage of time, it has been converted into a stinking drain.”