State rapped over pollution of rivers

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday reprimanded the state and Union government for not formulating any policy to prevent pollution of rivers in the state.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla came down heavily on the state and Union government while hearing a PIL filed by Vanshakti Public Trust, challenging the state government’s decision to change the CRR Policy.

According to the petitioner, the River Regulation Zone (RRZ) policy, which was scrapped in 2016, had banned industrial activity within two km of the high flood zone of river basins. The petition alleged that after the policy was scrapped, there had been many instances of encroachment of natural resources, thereby restricting public access and causing an imbalance in the ecosystem.

Senior counsel Gayatri Singh pointed out to the court that while the government claimed to have taken steps to ensure that industries do not release untreated sewage into rivers, its own report said that pollution in rivers had increased.

When the government pleader told the court that the State Pollution Con-trol Board took action aga-inst those polluting rivers, Justice Oka said, “The SPCB takes action only after rules are violated but the government is not taking any steps to ensure that rules are not violated.”