NGT directs Uttarakhand to provide timeline for waste mgmt in Kedarnath

The directive follows a plea alleging that untreated sewage is being discharged into the Mandakini river, contributing to pollution due to inadequate solid waste management.

To assess the situation, the tribunal had formed a joint committee including the Central Pollution Control Board member secretary, the district magistrate of Rudraprayag, and representatives from the regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in Dehradun.

In an order dated October 4, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that the committee's report indicated the absence of a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Kedarnath. The committee also reported that no waste processing facility exists for managing approximately 1.667 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid and plastic waste during the peak season.

The bench, which also includes judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, acknowledged the committee’s recommendations for improving waste management facilities. They noted the presence of substantial construction and demolition waste in several locations.

According to the report, a 600 kilolitres per day (KLD) STP is under construction and expected to be completed by December. However, the tribunal deemed this capacity "inadequate" and pointed out that no timeline was provided for connecting households to the sewage system.

The bench directed Uttarakhand to file an affidavit outlining a timeline for establishing adequate sewage treatment and solid waste management facilities in Kedarnath, incorporating the joint committee's suggestions. They also emphasized the need for proper maintenance of soak pits and ensuring full connectivity to the STP before the next season, with the affidavit to be submitted within six weeks.

A soak pit is a liquid waste management method that allows wastewater to seep into the ground through a covered, porous-walled chamber.