National Green Tribunal
Tribunal On Its Own Motion Based On The ... vs The Principal Secretary To Government ... on 15 February, 2023
Author: Satyagopal Korlapati
Bench: Satyagopal Korlapati
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
SOUTHERN ZONE, CHENNAI
Original Application No. 168 of 2020 (SZ)
&
Original Application No. 25 of 2021 (SZ)
&
Original Application No. 140 of 2021 (SZ)
(Through Video Conference)
IN THE MATTER OF
Tribunal on its own motion Suo Motu
Based on the news item in Indian Express Newspaper,
Chennai Edition, Dated 25.08.2020
Under the caption "Sewage discharge into open SWDs irks Porur residents"
With
1. The Principal Secretary to Government,
Public Works Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai - 600 009.
2. The Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Department of Environment & Forests,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
3. The Principal Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Health and Family Welfare Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
4. Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
5. The Chairman,
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board,
No.76, Anna Salai, Guindy,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 032.
6. The District Collector,
Chennai District,
District Collectorate Office,
NO. 62, Rajaji Salai, 4th Floor,
Chennai - 600 001.
7. Greater Chennai Corporation,
Rep by its Commissioner,
Ripon Building, Chennai- 600 003.
8. Vanagaram Panchayat,
Chokkalingam Naicker 5th St,
Ganapathi Nagar, Vanagaram,
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Chennai, Tamil Nadu- 600 095.
9. National High Authority of India (NHAI),
Project Director,
Sri Tower, 3rd Floor DP-34(SP).
Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Chennai- 600 032.
10. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board
(CMWSSB),
No. 1, Pumping Station Rd,
Chintadripet, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu- 600031.
...Respondent(s)
And
Tribunal on its own motion Suo Motu
Based on the news item in Times of India,
Chennai Edition, Dated 19.01.2021, under the caption,
"Private tankers in Chennai brazenly dump sewage into storm water drains in broad
daylight"
With
1. The Principal Secretary to Government,
Health and Family Welfare Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai - 600 009.
2. The Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Department of Environment & Forests,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
3. Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
4. The Chairman,
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board,
No.76, Anna Salai, Guindy,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 032.
5. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board
(CMWSSB),
No. 1, Pumping Station Rd,
Chintadripet, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu- 600031.
6. The District Collector,
Tiruvallur District,
First Floor, Collectorate,
Tiruvallur- 602 001.
7. Greater Chennai Corporation,
Rep by its Commissioner,
2
Ripon Building, Chennai- 600 003.
8. The Poonamallee Municipality,
Rep by its Commissioner,
Poonamallee Road,
Poonamallee, Chennai- 600056.
9. National High Authority of India (NHAI),
Rep by its Project Director,
1/54-28, Butt Road, St. Thomas Mount,
Near Kathipara Juncition,
Chennai- 600016.
...Respondent(s)
And
Tribunal on its own motion Suo Motu
Based on the news item in the Times of India,
Chennai Edition, Dated 31.05.2021,
Under the caption "Sewage being dumped in to Buckingham Canal illegally"
With
1. The Principal Secretary to Government,
Public Works Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai - 600 009.
2. The Principal Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Health and Family Welfare Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
3. The Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Department of Environment & Forests,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
4. Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Tamil Nadu,
Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department,
Govt. Secretariat, Fort St. George,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 009.
5. Engineer in Chief (Water Resources Organisation)
and Chief Engineer (General),
Public Works Department,
Chepauk, Chennai- 600 005.
6. The Member Secretary,
Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust,
6/103, Dr. D.G.S. Dinakaran Salai,
Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai- 600 028.
7. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board
(CMWSSB),
No. 1, Pumping Station Rd,
Chintadripet, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu- 600031.
3
8. Greater Chennai Corporation,
Rep by its Commissioner,
Ripon Building, Chennai- 600 003.
9. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board,
Rep by its Chairman,
No.76, Anna Salai, Guindy,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600 032.
...Respondent(s)
O.A. No. 168 of 2020(SZ)
For Applicnat(s): Suo Motu
For Respondent(s): Dr. D. Shanmuganathan for R1 to R4, R6 & R8.
Mr. Sai Sathya Jith for R5.
Mr. A. C. Manibharathi for R7.
Mr. Su. Srinivasan for R9.
Mr. Gautham S Raman for R10.
O.A. No. 25 of 2021(SZ)
For Applicant(s): Suo Motu
For Respondent(s): Dr. D. Shanmuganathan for R1 to R3, R6.
Mr. Sai Sathya Jith for R4.
Mr. Gautham S Raman for R5.
Mr. A. C. Manibharathi for R7.
Mr. Su. Srinivasan for R9.
O.A. No. 140 of 2021(SZ)
For Applicant(s): Suo Motu
For Respondent(s): Dr. D. Shanmuganathan for R1 to R6.
Mr. Gautham S Raman for R7.
Mr. A. C. Manibharathi for R8.
Mr. Sai Sathya Jith for R9.
Judgment Reserved on: 31st January, 2023.
Judgment Pronounced on: 15th February, 2023.
CORAM:
HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE PUSHPA SATHYANARAYANA, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. SATYAGOPAL KORLAPATI, EXPERT MEMBER
JUDGMENT
Delivered by Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, Judicial Member
1. How does the sewage system in Chennai works? The solid and liquid generated by each of the household is being carried in the sewer with the help of the gravity to the manhole on the streets 4 which is there for every 100 ft in the city of Chennai depending upon the volume it can hold. These sewer lines are taken to the sewage pumping stations which operate for 24 hours and have three wells for collection, screening and suction. The collection well is the point where the sewage is collected, the screening well is used to remove the solid waste, the remaining liquid is then carried through the suction well to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
2. The STPs induce chemical reactions allowing the unwarranted particles to settle down through a centrifugal effect. The solid residue is converted into methane gas which is supplied for operation in the treatment plants itself. All the STPs do not convert the solid residue into methane gas. The treated water is then released into the city's water bodies like Coocum, Adyar or Buckingham Canal. Before letting into these water bodies all the chemical content and faecal matter is kept in check.
3. Not all parts of the Chennai are connected to the sewage systems. Wherever there are no sewage systems, the sewage is collected in septic tanks which are built and maintained by individual residents or the owners and the waste collected is transported through the sewage tanks to the treatment plants. While the focus is on the metropolitan city, the infrastructural requirements do not match the development of this expanding city. Year after year the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (CMWSSB) control is expanding as it has to accommodate more municipalities and town panchayats in view of the expansion in the peri-urban areas.
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4. In this regard, it has to be seen whether the entire sewage generated each day is treated before letting into the water bodies. Several areas continue to lack complete sewage system. There have been reports in the newspaper that the apartment dwellers and other residents not having the facility of a STP draining their waste completely untreated into the lakes and other water bodies which are the vital source of drinking water. It has now become easy for these tanker lorries to decant the sewage water to the storm water drains. The above applications relate to such discharge of sewage water into open storm water drainage in Porur and also in Buckingham canal.
5. O.A. No. 168 of 2020, O.A. No. 25 of 2021 and O.A. No. 140 of 2021 relates to the similar issue of private tankers continue to dump the sewage into the storm water drains in broad daylight alongside the National Highways near the AGS Dental College next to Maduravoyal. The common concern in all the three matters relate to the illegal dumping of the sewage water either into the storm water drainage on the National Highway or into any water body. The above three applications were registered suo motu by this Tribunal taking cognizance of the newspaper items reported in the daily newspapers.
6. To ascertain the real state of affairs, this Tribunal had also appointed a Joint Committee comprising of the (i) District Collector, (ii) Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department and Water Resources Organisation, Incharge of that area, (iii) Chairman of the Pollution Control Board and also a (iv) Senior 6 Officer from Greater Chennai Corporation. The Committee was directed to ascertain if there was any mechanism through which this corporation can monitor the vehicles which are authorised to carry the sewage water to the disposal facility and whether the vehicles can be fitted with GPS to track their movement etc.
7. A Joint inspection was done by the Committee constituted on 23.10.2020. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Central Chennai, Area Engineer, Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Block Development Officer, Vanagaram Panchayat, Assistant Engineer, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Work Inspector, Public Works Department and also the Project Director, National Highways Department were the officials present. It was informed by the CMWSSB that they have formed a team of Depot Engineers to monitor the Porur Link Road/Bypass service road and directed the Depot Engineers to take action against the illegal discharge of the sewer water in the storm water drain. After the joint inspection the CMWSSB had conducted a joint meeting with the private sewer lorry owners association and instructed them to dispose of the sewage to nearby pumping station at Ganga Nagar, Mogappair and Nespakkam STPs and warned the lorry owners not to dispose of the sewage into storm water drains. The Block Development Officer, Villivakkam Panchayat Union had stated that the disposal point is coming under the limits of Chennai Corporation and the panchayat limit ends before it and also stated that they will keep a vigil on the illegal disposal of the sewage into the storm water drain.
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8. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also had taken action by filing CSR to the Police Department with respect to the illegal discharge of sewage into the storm water drain at Km 21/700. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) also had taken action by filing CSR to the Police Department with respect to the illegal discharge of sewage into the storm water drain. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, SRMC Range was also requested to monitor the Porur Link Road/Bypass service road and to file a case against the lorries who are illegally letting out the sewer water into the storm water drain.
9. The Personal Assistant (General) to the District Collector, Chennai had filed his report dated 12.04.2021 wherein he has stated that the Revenue Divisional Officers of the North, South and Central Divisions are instructed to conduct surprise raids along with the Police officials and also with the line departments. Regarding the dumping of the sewage water, the GCC had conducted inspection and noticed one lorry dumping sewage into the storm water drain bearing a Registration No. AVS TN 30 Y 2585 and registered a case with the SRMC police station under Section 188 and 270 of IPC against the owner of the lorry. The Commissioner of Police also has given suitable instructions to all the jurisdictional police officials to instruct the highway patrol teams and to take stringent action against those who are dumping sewage into the water bodies.
10. Similarly, the 10th respondent, who is the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) had originally filed a report in the month of May, 2021 stating that 8 the CMWSSB is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of water supply and sewerage facilities in the core Chennai City and to its newly added areas. Water Supply Schemes (WSS) and Under Ground Sewerage Schemes (UGSS) are under implementation at various places in the Greater Chennai City. These schemes have been successfully completed and put into use in certain areas and the remaining areas are at various stages of completion. The report further stated that the sewage generated at these unserved areas are being collected at a nominal cost through phone helpline and online portal by the Board. These registered sewer tanker lorries of the Board collect sewage and decanted at the nearest sewage pumping station/sewage treatment plant for further treatment and safe disposal. The report added further that the CMWSSB had further formulated a draft policy to regulate the registration of sewer lorries and its operations which would be formulated and implemented by the next financial year.
11. Yet another report was filed by the CMWSSB a month later i.e. on 19.06.2021 mentioning the progress in implementation, operation and maintenance of water supply and sewerage facilities to the newly added areas of the erstwhile municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats. The Water Supply Schemes and Under Ground Sewerage Schemes are under implementation and at few places they have successfully completed. As an interim measure, till the completion of these UGSS schemes the sewage generated at these unserved areas are being collected through the "Dial for Septic Tank Clearance Scheme" by the Board for which 34 numbers of Board hired sewer tanker lorries are engaged to collect sewage generated through phone helpline and online portal at a 9 nominal cost. These Board registered sewer tanker lorries, collect sewage and decant at the nearest pumping station for safe disposal. The operations of these sewer tankers are closely monitored on daily basis by the Area Engineers of the respective zones.
12. In addition to the above, the Board is also in the process of procuring 50 numbers of sewer tanker lorries having 6 KL and 9KL capacity fitted with GPS tracker for monitoring sewage collection and disposal operations. The Board also had recommended certain remedial measures to be implemented by various departments to curb the illegal discharging of sewage into storm water drains/water bodies. Which are as follows:
"1.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) shall take immediate action on the followings:
a. To intensity the patrolling activities especially along the complaint location and other isolated/vulnerable points along Highways. b. To monitor and replace the damaged/missing cover slabs of the storm drains on regular basis, which are either damaged or removed by the miscreants along the NH-44.
c. To enforce stringent action on the violators in close coordination with Police and RTO officials. To erect caution boards at all vulnerable locations.
2. The Police Department shall keep a vigil in the area in question and take action on the sewage tanker lorries decanting the sewage other than the Thirumazhisai STP.
3. The Regional Transport Officers shall take immediate action on the following:' a. To cancel the license issued to the sewage tanker lorries found decanting the sewage in the water ways/storm water drains and shall issue necessary instructions to the sewage tanker lorry owners in this regard.
b. While renewal of Fitness Certificate, to insist for No Objection Certificate from the local bodies concerned.
4. The Secretary, Vanagaram Panchayat shall expedite on the following:-
a. To establish Underground Sewerage system to handle the sewage generated in Vanagaram Panchayat Area.
b. To regulate the sewage tanker lorries operating in their jurisdiction by properly registering them and streamlining the sewage tanker lorries in coordination with Thirumazhisai STP or at CMWSSB's Ganga Nagar Sewage Pumping Station to ensure proper decanting of collect sewage in their jurisdiction. Stringent legal action shall be imposed on erring tanker operators.10
c. In coordination with the Police and NHAI officials concerned shall arrange to install and monitor CCTV's along the complaint location and other vulnerable points along the Highways.
5. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board shall collect water samples periodically from various water bodies in and around this area and its confluence point of Coovum river to monitor water quality parameters and shall share details of the same with line departments for effectiveness of enforcement action."
13. CMWSSB had filed a report on 06.07.2021 in O.A. No. 25 of 2021 wherein it is stated that a draft operative guidelines to regulate the registration of sewer lorries and its operations in the GCC limit and has submitted the same to the Government for consideration and to issue necessary G.O for implementation within this current financial year. As per these operative guidelines, the registered lorries will be equipped with GPS trackers for monitoring the septage collection and discharging at the designated decanting facility controlling the illegal discharge at the storm water drains and water bodies. Necessary follow ups are being made with the Government by the Board for getting approval of the operative guidelines submitted for effective regulation of sewage tankers in Greater Chennai Corporation limit and for its implementation in this financial year itself.
14. The National Highways Authority of India, who is the 9th respondent in O.A. No. 168 of 2020 and O.A. No. 25 of 2021, has stated that the upkeep of the public health and sanitation is under the domain of the local authority because the sewage is collected from the nearby residential areas. The report states that independent Engineer in charge of supervising the Operation and Maintenance of the said bypass has brought to notice of the authority that social miscreants are disposing the sewage water, collected from various places through tanker lorries 11 into the storm water drain of Chennai Bypass which is causing severe health hazards to the road users. It was stated further that garbage is also being discarded/dumped and set fire near the main carriageway of Chennai Bypass from Km 17/200 to KM 17/500 which is causing safety threats and health hazards to the road users and this leads to many accidents especially in respect of two wheelers.
15. In this regard, the NHAI is considering the safety of the road users and providing cover slab which is already in progress for a length of 700 meters between Km 19.925 to Km 20.275 on both sides of the project highway. Further, the Competent Authority of the NHAI has accorded approval on 26.02.2021 for an amount of Rs. 15.38 crore towards construction of cover slab over the open storm water drain available in the entire project stretch of Chennai Bypass. The work is to be taken upon completion of the bidding process. NHAI further states that enforcement of any regulation largely is dependent on Revenue Department or Police Department depending upon the nature of compliant or issue. The issue such as damage being caused to the highways, drainage line or lid etc., and also for action against the dumping of garbage abutting National Highways is depending upon the concerned police officers. To prevent such illegality being perpetuated by garbage carrying vehicles/sewage tanker lorries, NHAI recommends to take stringent action against the owners of such tanker lorries and garbage dumping vehicles. It is specifically pointed out that NHAI do not have any independent empowered manpower or authority to curb such illegal activities. It is only the local administrative officers or the police officials of the concerned jurisdiction who 12 have either suo motu or on the complaint of the NHAI or by any aggrieved person to take swift action against the violators.
16. As stated earlier, it is only the problem of garbage and septage water which is now spinning all the departments to fall in line. However, this is the oldest challenge for any Government to take up policy coordination. Success of any one programme of a department will depend on programmes of other departments. Therefore, there is a serious concern as to how to coordinate policies and to get them to work together and produce policy integration. All policies that influence one another would be designed in such a way that produce synergy or at a minimum reduced conflict but whether such perfect result could be achieved is the biggest challenge of the challenges. However, at least we can think of coordination and implementation. It is difficult for any Government which confront all or most of the pressure for coordination. The Government has invested a great deal of time and energy in attempting to achieve a better coordination in handling the problem of managing the sewage water and dumping of garbage and it already has a number of mechanism at their disposal. Unless the coordination is in place it will be difficult for any Government to improve the services delivered to the citizens. The treatment of the sewage is within the exclusive domain of CMWSSB and as has rightly been pointed out by the NHAI that it does not have any independent empowered manpower or authority to curb the illegal activities.
17. The present case is a classic example where coordination has become a fundamental problem for the public administration. The 13 vexed individuals are making attempts to make the Government work better by filling appropriate petitions or applications bringing it to the knowledge of the appropriate authorities. In this case, the newspaper reports have triggered the cause and this Tribunal had made all the departments to work towards one goal. With the coordination and cooperation, the Government had brought out a bill relating to the Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978. In fact the State Pollution Control Board has stated in its report dated 09.09.2021 that the regulation of private sewage tanker lorries, monitoring and controlling illegal discharge can be established only through the coordinated action of the various departments. The Transport Commissionerate and the State Transport Authority is the licensing authority for a sewer lorry. The responsibility of facilitation for the discharge of the septage collected by the sewer lorry vest upon CMWSSB and the respective local bodies concerned. The possession and maintenance of water bodies and drains/canals leading to the water bodies belongs to the Public Works Department/Water Resource Organisation whereas the storm water drains are constructed by the GCC and the Highways Departments. The monitoring and prevention of illegal discharge can also be done by the patrolling wing of Police Department and by installation of CCTV cameras at vulnerable locations. The issue in regulation and monitoring of sewage lorries for septic management have to be addressed collectively by the line departments, namely, CMWSSB, TNPCB, PWD and TNRTDC, RTO, Police, GCC, local bodies etc., for effective implementation and control of illegal dumping of sewage into water bodies. Hence, a comprehensive operative guidelines for septic collection, 14 transportation and disposal within and outside the Chennai city has been prepared by the CMWSSB and forwarded for the approval of the Government.
18. The Deputy Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department has filed a report on 24.01.2023 wherein it has been stated that Government had constituted a Committee with the Director of Municipal Administration, Commissioner of Town Panchayats, Joint Secretaries to the Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Deputy Commissioner (Works) of Greater Chennai Corporation as its members and Managing Director, CMWSSB as it convenor to finalise the draft guidelines/regulations for septage management as recommended by the Committee to the Government. In the meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Rules, 2022 (Tamil Nadu Act 34 of 2022) has been enacted to amend the laws relating to Municipal Corporations and Municipalities as well as the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978 to regulate the collection, transportation and disposal of faecal sludge/septage and matters connected there with. The Government has brought the said Act 34 of 2022 into force on 01.01.2023. Further, the Government also had framed the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies and Chennai Metropolitan Area Septage Management (Regulation) Rules, 2022 which have been notified to take effect from 01.01.2023. The salient features of the said Act 34 of 2022 are as follows:
"Act:
The Act mandates that any person, who intendes to collect, transport or dispose faecal sludge or septage, in the jurisdiction 15 of Urban Local Body shall obtain licence from the concerned Urban Local Body or in the Chennai Metropolitan Area or from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. A licence fee of two thousand rupees has been prescribed. The validity of the licence is for a period of two years. Every building owner shall ensure construction of the septic tank or such on-site sanitation system conforming the requirements of the National Building Code, 2016 and conduct desludging as per the said Code.
Duties of the licencees have been specified. Every licencee shall maintain a log book in the prescribed format for recording of each trip undertaken for collection, transportation and disposal of faecal sludge and septage and submit it to the licensing authority before the 10th day of every quarter in a year.
Every licencee shall ensure that the specified vehicle is equipped with a Global Positioning System as Islay be prescribed and also ensure that the Global Positioning System instrument is functional and transmitting the data without any interruption. The Act mandates that the licencing authority shall notify in the District Gazette and upload in the website or portal,-
(a) the places for decanting the faecal sludge or septage;
(b) the list of licensees and update them periodically; and
(c) a mechanism for filing complaints or reporting violations against the licencees.
The Act provides for imposition of penalties on persons contravening the provisions.
The first offence shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Twenty five thousand rupees (Rs.25,000/-) and the second or any subsequent offence shall attract a fine which may extend to Fifty thousand rupees (Rs. 50, 000/-) The Act provides that where an offence under this Chapter is believed to have been or is being committed, any officer in Revenue department, not lower in rank than that of a Tahsildar, in the case of Town Panchayats and the Commissioner in the case of Municipalities, Assistant Commissioner in the case of Municipal Corporations and Executive Engineer in the case of Chennai Metropolitan water Supply and Sewerage Board, may seize any vehicle or other articles including motor, pump, tube, tool or equipment used for the commission of such offence and shall without unreasonable delay, produce the same before the officer, authorized in this behalf by the Government. The Act empowers the authorized officer to order confiscation of the vehicle of the articles so seized,
19. In this regard, the Government also had issued Septage Management Regulations and Operative Guidelines regarding removal of septage from unsewered areas, regulation of sewage tanker lorries operating in the local bodies, prevention of illegal discharge of sewage thereby protecting the water bodies vide G.O. Ms. No. 1, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated 02.01.2023 in supersession of the earlier guidelines.
20. If the departments concerned, namely, the Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Metoropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage 16 Board and the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department and also the Director of Town Panchayat strictly implement the above guidelines in their respective jurisdiction, the water bodies can be saved from the danger of sewage pollution and the management of sewage and septage water will be under control.
21. In view of the above Municipal Corporation, Municipalities and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978 and also the G.O. Ms. No. 1, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated 02.01.2023, we do not propose to give any specific direction as the said regulation and guidelines are in itself comprehensive. We only direct the departments concerned to strictly follow and implement the rules and bring it under control the problem of sewage water being discharged regardless of the health hazards.
22. The Government also is directed to publish in the newspapers about the new rules and guidelines to make the people be aware of the same.
23. In view of the above, the above Original Applications are disposed of.
............................................................J.M. (Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana) .......................................E.M. (Dr. Satyagopal Korlapati) Internet - Yes/No All India NGT Reporter - Yes/No O.A No.168/2020(SZ)& O.A. No. 25/2021(SZ)& O.A. No. 140/2021(SZ) 15th February, 2023. (AM) 17 Before the National Green Tribunal Southern Zone (Chennai) O.A. No. 168 of 2020(SZ) & O.A.No. 25 of 2021(SZ) & O.A.No. 140 of 2021(SZ) Tribunal on its own motion Vs. The Principal Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu and Ors.
O.A No.168/2020(SZ)& O.A. No. 25/2021(SZ)& O.A. No. 140/2021(SZ) 15th February, 2023. (AM) 18