HC Orders NMC to Submit Godavari Water Quality Report by July 26

Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been pulled up by the High Court for its failure to implement measures to curb pollution in the Godavari River.

The Court expressed dissatisfaction with the NMC's performance and ordered the Municipal Corporation to collect water samples from the Godavari River in the presence of the petitioners.

The samples will be used to prepare a report, which must be submitted by July 26. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 27.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by environmentalist Rajesh Pandit in 2012, concerning river rejuvenation. The High Court has been hearing the petition and expressed strong displeasure with the Municipal Corporation's performance.

The Court asked the administration to state whether pollution is currently occurring or not. According to orders from the High Court and NEERI, it is mandatory to treat all sewage generated in the city before discharging it into the Godavari.

The deadline for this was March 2015, and the requirement was reiterated in the final order of 2018. However, the petitioners pointed out that despite the passage of many years, pollution in the Godavari has not ceased.

The main causes of river pollution are untreated sewage, industrial waste, chemicals, and chemical effluents being discharged into the riverbed. Activities such as washing clothes, performing religious rituals, and the accumulation of waste, including plastics, have also polluted the river water.

The Municipal Corporation has been directed to implement the guidelines issued for river cleaning. The High Court's firm stance suggests that the campaign to make the Godavari river pollution-free will intensify.

Pressure on the Municipal Corporation has mounted, as cleaning the river is crucial in the run-up to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The petitioners have expressed the expectation that the court's directives will be complied with.

The Court will decide whether or not to initiate contempt proceedings against the Municipal Corporation based on the report submitted on July 26.

The Godavari River is a significant water body in Nashik, and its pollution has been a long-standing issue. The High Court's intervention is expected to bring about positive changes in the river's water quality.

The outcome of the next hearing on July 27 will be crucial in determining the future course of action to be taken by the Municipal Corporation to address the issue of pollution in the Godavari River.