The National Green Tribunal has pulled up Gujarat authorities over continuing contamination in the Bhadar river and directed them to plug all leakages of untreated sewage and industrial effluents, especially in the Jetpur-Navagadh belt of Rajkot district.
The order came from the NGT’s Principal Bench in New Delhi on Monday on a plea transferred from a 2018 PIL originally filed before the Gujarat High Court.
A bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel relied on a joint committee report which found that untreated domestic sewage from areas still lacking underground drainage connections was flowing into stormwater drains that eventually meet the Bhadar.
The committee said no industrial effluent was detected in the latest inspection, but flagged several systemic gaps: only 70% of the Jetpur drainage network is currently underground, with the remaining 30% still under construction.
The tribunal directed the Jetpur-Navagadh municipality to finish the pending portion of the underground sewage network by December 2, 2026, and to ensure 100% household connectivity. It also told the civic body to make sure no untreated sewage or industrial waste enters drains or the river.
The Gujarat Pollution Control Board was ordered to ensure that the two common effluent treatment plants in Jetpur-Navagadh operate only with valid consents and do not discharge any effluent into the Bhadar.
The tribunal further instructed the GPCB to:
- prevent any industry, STP or CETP from operating without valid consent to operate
- strictly bar any untreated discharge into storm drains or river stretches
- continue routine monitoring of drains, river segments, treatment plants and industrial facilities
The proceedings stem from a 2018 PIL filed by Gujarat resident Ramdev Sanjva, alleging that untreated sewage and wastewater from dyeing and printing units were polluting the Bhadar. He also highlighted non-functional PETPs and inadequate capacity at CETPs.
In December 2019, the NGT issued a detailed order directing authorities to act on Central Pollution Control Board findings, recover environmental compensation, and prosecute violators including the Jetpur Dyeing and Printing Association’s CETP.
That order was later challenged in the Supreme Court, which in March 2024 disposed of the appeals and asked the NGT to handle the matter expeditiously.
After issuing fresh timelines and compliance mandates, the NGT disposed of the case, making it clear that strict adherence to pollution control norms is mandatory going forward.
