Use treated water: NGT to farmers

New Delhi, November 13

Expressing concern over extraction of groundwater, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has suggested the use of treated sewage water by farmers for agricultural purposes instead of potable water.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said at a time when there was serious depletion of the water table, there was a need to switch over to less water-consuming crops.

“We do appreciate the difficulties of the agriculturists, but the option of providing alternative of the use of treated sewage water, etc, or switching over to less water-consuming crops needs to be considered,” the Bench, also comprising Justice SP Wangdi, said.

“Equally significant is the need for checking contamination of underground water by those who are discharging untreated effluents in the earth or in water bodies. Comprehensive planning and execution thereof on the subject with utmost priority is necessary and absence thereof has led to emergency situation in certain areas,” it said.

The tribunal was hearing petitions filed by the NGT Bar Association and Raj Hans Bansal opposing the illegal use of groundwater by industries in Delhi.

The NGT said the submission that industries were allowed to extract underground water in over exploited, critical and semi-critical areas after payment of charges was ridiculous and beyond comprehension.

It said in several orders it noted the apathy of the authorities in the last six years and it had no information about steps taken in compliance of earlier directions, except a statement that the Central Groundwater Authority was ill-equipped. —PTI