Prepare restoration plan for Sigaddi river in U'khand: NGT

Concerned over the pollution from slag produced by iron and steel units, the National Green Tribunal today directed the authorities to prepare a restoration plan for Sigaddi river near Jasodhapur Industrial Area in Kotdwar district of Uttarakhand.
The Tribunal's order came after the petitioner, Shiv Prasad Dabral, alleged that slag, byproduct material in iron industries, was being dumped on the banks of the river in violation of industrial pollutant discharge norms.
A bench of Justice U D Salvi directed the District Magistrate to take inputs from the 18 industrial units, State Pollution Control Board (USPCB), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) and others for preparation of the restoration plan within four weeks.

"We direct the District Magistrate to prepare a restoration plan for restoring the Sigaddi river or river bed to its pristine condition on removal of slag and such other like hazardous material lying in or along her bed.
"The District Magistrate shall take inputs from the industrial units, applicant, USPCB, NHAI, State Urban Development Department and SIDCUL for preparation of such restoration plan," the tribunal said.
The Tribunal also ordered that restoration plan shall include removal of the slag from the river, its proper storage and its beneficial utilisation.

The tribunal was informed that the slag could be utilised for road construction, land filling as well as brick making.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the industries submitted that they plan to raise brick manufacturing units with the use of slag generated by them.
The matter is now listed for next hearing on October 28.
Earlier, the Tribunal had directed the State Pollution Control Board (USPCB) to inspect all air pollution control devices installed in iron and steel units in Jasodharpur Industrial Area (JIA) near Kotdwar.
The bench had also directed these industrial units to submit an year-wise data regarding annual production of each units, slag produced and disposed from these units.