New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the joint monitoring committee of the Central Pollution Control board to monitor the quality of water in Cauvery released by Karnataka from its reservoirs to Tamil Nadu till May this year and submit a report in the second week of July.
A Bench of Justices S.A. Bobde and L. Nageswara Rao passed this order on a suit filed by Tamil Nadu to restrain Karnataka from letting sewage generated in Karnataka as it is causing pollution to the rivers of Cauvery and Pennaiyar (Thenpennai) before they enter Tamil Nadu.
The bench took note of the interim report of the CPCB that the water at the border in the rivers of Cauvery and Pennaiyar are not conforming to water quality criteria.
The CPCB also recommended a mechanism of regular vigilance from concerned organisations in the state government for prevention of further pollution, besides comprehensive plan of action for restoration of water quality of the rivers Cauvery, Pennaiyar and Arkavati.
During the resumed hearing it was pointed out that since the CPCB had conducted the study during the winter months, it should continue the monitoring during summer. Accordingly the Bench asked the CPCB to continue the monitoring activity and submit a report in July.
Tamil Nadu through counsel G. Umapathy submitted that the court should direct to treat the effluents before they are let into the rivers and make the river water free from Pollutants and effluents.
It was pointed out that the CPCB has not given any direction to Karnataka to take immediate remedial action to provide adequate infrastructure for treatment of sewage and effluents and bring it to the water quality criteria within a reasonable time before they enter Tamil Nadu.
As a large population in Tamil Nadu is depending on these rivers for meeting the drinking water supply, domestic and irrigation requirements, the water should be free from pollution. The state wanted a direction to Karnataka to carry out the remedial measures within a fixed time frame conforming to the prescribed water quality criteria of the inter-State rivers Cauvery and Thenpennaiyar, before they enter Tamil Nadu and to monitor the same by the Committee of CPCB.
