Chandigarh: Just over a month after ordering the Punjab government to pay Rs 12 crore to follow the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) suggestions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has warned of an extra charge of Rs 1 crore for each day of delay.
This warning was issued by Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj, who set a two-day deadline for the payment in a case about sewage treatment plants (STPs).
Justice Bhardwaj pointed out that the Rs 12 crore required by the court on August 28 had not been paid yet and also turned down the state’s request to place the money in an escrow account, saying it lacked justification.
This decision comes after a serious failure by the contractor responsible for operating and maintaining the STPs, with fecal content reaching 90 lakh units per 100 ml, far above the safe limit of 1,000 units.
The court stated that an investigation is needed into how the operations have been managed and how much has been paid to the contractor, especially since the STPs have not met required standards.
Justice Bhardwaj said that main issue is preventing further damage to the environment caused by untreated sewage being dumped in open areas near schools and other important places.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with a report submitted by IAS officer Dilraj Singh, stating it was just a basic summary without any clear timelines or real commitment to solving the problem.
“This report is not satisfactory and seems like just an attempt to show activity,” Justice Bhardwaj said.
He ordered that a detailed report outlining what the Punjab government has done to address the issue be submitted before the next hearing.
The case began due to untreated sewage being released near a school in a village. During the hearing, it was revealed that there is a major lack of STPs in Punjab compared to the amount of waste produced in both urban and rural areas.