NGT issues notices to Centre, Gujarat govt over ‘drying’ Narmada river

The petitioners said the river had been reduced to a mere stream with only 600 cusecs (cubic feet per second) water being released from the dam and sought directions for the release of 1,500 cusecs water from the dam.

narmada, narmada river, ngt court, national green tribunal, sardar sarovar dam, environment ministry, indian express

The petitioners said the river had been reduced to a mere stream with only 600 cusecs (cubic feet per second) water being released from the dam and sought directions for the release of 1,500 cusecs water from the dam. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana/Files)

The National Green Tribunal has sought response of the Union Ministry of Environment, the Gujarat government and others on a plea seeking adequate release of water from the Sardar Sarovar Dam to downstream Narmada. The Tribunal was hearing a petition filed by the Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Samiti and the Bharuch Citizen Council, which claimed that the Narmada riverbed was drying, which was further causing damage to environment, agriculture and local industries.

The bench, headed by acting chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim, issued notices to the MoEF, Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd, Narmada Control Authority, Gujarat government, State Pollution Control Board and others and sought their response on the matter by July 30.

The plea, filed by advocate Shilpa Chohan, also sought an independent assessment by expert committee on the flow required in the river in different seasons. “Due to unavailability of surface water, water intensive and heavily polluting industries along the Narmada Estuary withdrew large quantities of water from bore wells, aggravating water crisis and accelerating rate of toxic sea water intrusion into the aquifers of the downstream area,” the plea said.

First uploaded on: 31-05-2018 at 03:52 IST

NIA arrests accused in UK Indian embassy attack last year

IndiaUpdated: April 26, 2024 05:34 IST

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