New Delhi, Aug 18 The National Green Tribunal has directed authorities to regularly monitor the sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Mayur Vihar's New Kondli area here to ensure compliance with rules and prevent foul odour and health hazards for residents.
The green body was hearing two petitions alleging that the STPs at Kondli Phase I to 4 were violating environmental rules by releasing untreated water onto residential roads and creating health hazards.
Another plea pertained to emission of foul smell and "poisonous gases" from the STPs.
In an order dated August 14, made available on Tuesday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that, pursuant to its earlier order on the foul stench caused by the STPs, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had imposed environmental compensation (EC) of Rs 10 lakh on the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and a private operator, M/s VA Tech Wabag Ltd.
The bench said the DJB had subsequently filed a report stating that the deficiencies earlier identified by the DPCC had been rectified, rehabilitation work at the plants had been completed and they were operating as per the prescribed norms.
It said the DPCC had also filed a report saying that, according to the analysis report for April 2026, Kondli Phase I, 2, 3 and 4 STPs are meeting the prescribed standard.
The bench noted that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had filed the reply dated August 13 disclosing the odour control measures which had been undertaken, and the civic body’s counsel had assured that these preventive and remedial measures will be regularly initiated to control the emission of foul odour from the STPs.
“The above reports indicate that as of now the remedial measures have been taken by the concerned authorities, but these authorities are required to regularly monitor the STPs and ensure that these STPs perform as per the applicable norms and no inconvenience is caused to the residents of the area on account of the emission of foul odour from these STPs,” the tribunal said.
It said that the DPCC will take expeditious steps to recover the environmental damage compensation of Rs 10 lakh, if there is no legal impediment in this regard.
“The DPCC will ascertain the further period of violation and will levy the environmental damage compensation for the subsequent period also by duly following the principles of natural justice."
"Regular monitoring will be done by the DPCC and, if at any stage violation of norms is noticed, immediate remedial and punitive action will be ensured,” the tribunal said.
