Yamuna Pollution Case: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that with the change in government in Delhi, long-standing disputes over Yamuna pollution could be resolved. The court expressed optimism that under the new administration, there could be better implementation of plans aimed at cleaning the river.
A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih made this remark while hearing the case related to Yamuna pollution. The court also directed Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to check if any related petitions are pending before other benches.
Pending Petitions and NGT’s Role
During the hearing, senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, appearing as amicus curiae, informed the court that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier formed a committee to monitor Yamuna-related issues. However, this committee was dissolved after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter in January 2021.
The bench noted that other petitions related to Yamuna pollution might still be pending before another Supreme Court bench. The ASG has been asked to verify this with the concerned officials.
Monitoring of Yamuna Cleaning Efforts
The Supreme Court also acknowledged that the NGT has issued various compliance orders related to Yamuna pollution control. A monitoring committee set up by the NGT is overseeing actions taken in Delhi and Haryana regarding sewage treatment plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs).
Should the Case Be Referred Back to NGT?
The bench asked if the matter should be sent back to the NGT for better monitoring. The court suggested that if all parties agree, the NGT or the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) could oversee the implementation of pollution control measures.
