The NGT has outlined guidelines for sewage treatment plants to regulate discharges and tankers.
What’s it about? The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has released guidelines for sewage treatment plants on sewage tankers under local body limits and the discharge of untreated sewage into water bodies. It asked the Corporation, metrowater, and local officials to ensure they’re followed strictly.
- The guidelines are to prevent dumping raw sewage into stormwater drains and water bodies. The tribunal studied the issue of private tankers dumping sewage into drains and whether sewage is tested before being released.
- It also pointed out that the policies of different departments need to be coordinated to reduce friction and conflict. Without this, the government would struggle to improve services to citizens.
Previous work: The NGT had appointed a joint committee that included the district collector, TNPCB Chairman, the PWD superintending engineer, and a corporation official. Their task was to see if there were a way to fit GPS devices on vehicles that carried sewage to disposal facilities to monitor them.