NGT seeks report on service stations operating in capital

Automobile service stations operating in the capital and discharging toxic pollutants like grease and oil into the Yamuna have come under the radar of the National Green Tribunal which has sought a status report on their functioning.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (DSIIDC) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to inform it whether service stations have permission to deal with hazardous wastes.
"The complete details should also refer to the service stations which are apparently dealing/releasing hazardous waste. Whether they have the permission to deal with the hazardous waste or not and do they have in place sufficient anti-pollution devices that would handle even such hazardous waste, grease, oil etc," the bench said.

The direction came after DSIIDC failed to satisfy the Tribunal about the functioning of service stations. The bench noted that when a car is washed, a large amount of oil and grease mixes with water and goes down the drain without being treated causing pollution in Yamuna.
The tribunal also directed Delhi government and DSIIDC to inform it about the status of common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in 11 industrial clusters in the capital.
The tribunal had earlier issued notices to DSIIDC and Okhla Industrial Area CETP Society over functioning of CETPs in Lawrence Road and Okhla.
It had also rapped DSIIDC over inordinate delay in functioning of CETPs in Okhla and Lawrence Road while rejecting DSIIDC's plea seeking six months to make them functional.

DSIIDC had told the tribunal that out of 13 CETPs installed by it, 11 were functional and treating municipal sewage efficiently.