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Judgment
In this OA, the allegation of the applicant is that respondent no. 5 is engaged is manufacturing of metal and hot rolled and cold rolled products of steel and in that process, respondent no. 5 is releasing/discharging untreated toxic water/effluents into nearby agricultural fields and open plots, which is contaminating the ground water. Further case of the applicant is that respondent no. 5 is dumping contaminated water/effluents with the help of the tractors tankers operating at late night hours or early morning hours. As per the allegation, the unit is operating without complying with the environmental norms and without installing anti-pollution devices and nearly, 10,000 people who are residing in nearby villages complain of contaminated water which gives an obnoxious smell when pumped out of their hand pumps.
Learned Counsel for the applicant has also pointed out that the applicant has made a complaint to the State Pollution Control Board on 05.10.2023, but till now no action has been taken.
A perusal of the application reveals that a substantial issue relating to environment is raised and in our opinion, the said issue, at the first instance, is required to be looked independently by the Secretary, UPPCB. Hence, we direct the Secretary, UPPCB to carry out the spot inspection, collect samples for analysis of contaminated hand pumps, tubewell water and ascertain the ground situation and in case, if any violation of environmental norms including that of CTO is found by respondent no. 5, then to take appropriate remedial measures after following due process of law. Let the said exercise be completed by the Secretary, UPPCB within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order and thereafter, the Secretary will submit an action taken report by e-mail at [email protected] preferably in the form of searchable PDF/ OCR Support PDF and not in the form of Image PDF to the Registrar General of the Tribunal, who if found necessary will place the matter before the Court for consideration.
The Original Application and I.A. No. 785/2023 are accordingly disposed of.