The state water resources department has issued a government resolution warning of hefty fines and disconnection of water supply on independent organisations polluting water bodies.
The state water resources department has issued a government resolution warning of hefty fines and disconnection of water supply on independent organisations polluting water bodies.
Based on the motto ‘Polluters will pay the price,’ the GR issued on April 21 stated that henceforth, industries found to be polluting nearby water bodies by discharging untreated effluents will have to pay double the fine and face disconnection of water supply. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) will be at its helm as a monitoring body.
“Each industry needs to treat their waste water as per the norms before releasing it into the natural water bodies. If the industry is found to be violating the norms of MPCB, then additional fines will be imposed which will be different than that of the MPCB charges,” the GR stated. The new regulations apply to industrial and commercial water consumers.
According to the norms, local officials of the water resources department will make a list of all the users under their jurisdiction, mentioning their usage and submit the list to MPCB officials. At the same time, the users have to clear every monitoring test of the MPCB and prove the quality of water released by them is within the prescribed norms.
Stringent action would include blacklisting the users who have repeatedly failed the monitoring tests of MPCB. “If the MPCB has ordered for disconnection of the water supply to such a consumer, the water resource department shall follow the directive. The supply will only be restored once the customer pays all the fines imposed by the water department,” the GR stated.
