The eastern zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday asked several state government departments to file affidavits within two weeks in response to allegations from the South Eastern Railway of non-cooperation in stopping the pollution of the Santragachhi Jheel in Howrah and removing encroachments around it.
The order was passed in connection to a petition filed by environment activist Subhas Datta alleging unabated pollution of the lake from sewage, mainly from the illegal encroachments around it.
The sprawling lake attracts thousands of migratory birds every winter.
The list of government departments that have been asked to file affidavits includes the office of the Howrah district magistrate, the Howrah Municipal Corporation, the urban development and municipal affairs department and the state pollution control board. The chief secretary has also been asked to file an affidavit.
“South Eastern Railway… stated that they have addressed a letter dated 22.07.2022 with a reminder dated 05.08.2022 requesting the District Magistrate, Howrah, to provide necessary help for removal of all unauthorised encroachment from the Railway land situated beside the Santragachhi Lake but no reply was received from District Magistrate’s office, nor action has been taken,” reads the direction passed by Justice B. Amit Sthalekar and expert member Arun Kumar Verma of the NGT bench.
“The other Respondents (including) Howrah Municipal Corporation… may also file counter affidavits within two weeks,” reads the directive.
“In 2017, the bench had directed the setting up of a sewage treatment plant and removal of the unauthorised encroachments around the water body. After five years, in July 2022, the bench iterated the order giving six months for its implementation. But the state government departments have done nothing to implement it. I have sought an exemplary direction to save this ecologically important water body,” Dutta told Metro.
A senior Howrah district official, who requested anonymity, said: “We will go through the order and respond as directed, but it is very difficult to remove the encroachments as that may trigger law and order problems.”
“When the issue of law and order problem was put forward during the hearing, the bench pointed out that it was the duty of the state government to look into this aspect,” Dutta said.