NGT orders to ensure installation of OCEMS in GPIs in UP, Bihar, Delhi

The National Green Tribunal has directed the CPCB and SPCBs to ensure the installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems in Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs).

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued directions to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, and Delhi to ensure the installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) in Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) that have failed to comply with environmental norms.

A bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member) passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Imran Ahmad.

The petitioner alleged that despite repeated directions from the CPCB, several GPIs across the four states continue to discharge untreated effluents into vital water bodies, including the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, causing serious environmental degradation.

He stated that around 1,700 industries are operating without installing the mandatory OCEMS, which are crucial for real-time tracking of effluent quality.

Referring to a Right to Information (RTI) reply dated July 3, 2024, Ahmad pointed out that industries discharging more than 10 kilolitres per day (KLD) of effluents must mandatorily install OCEMS to monitor parameters like pH, flow, BOD, COD, and TSS, while those discharging less than 10 KLD are required to fit flow meters and web cameras at outlet points.

He further relied on a CPCB communication dated September 2, 2024, which listed 149 defaulting GPIs in Delhi, 704 in Uttar Pradesh, 812 in Haryana, and 21 in Bihar, and claimed that despite this, the respective State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees failed to take concrete enforcement action. His representation dated March 8, 2025, to the CPCB Chairman also went unanswered, he told the Tribunal.

After considering the submissions, the NGT directed the Chairman of CPCB to act on the petitioner's representation and issue necessary directions to all concerned pollution control authorities to ensure the immediate installation of OCEMS by all defaulting units.

The Tribunal ordered that Member Secretaries of the State Pollution Control Boards of UP, Haryana, and Bihar, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) must submit compliance reports within two months to CPCB.

The CPCB, in turn, has been directed to take remedial and punitive action against the defaulting units within one month thereafter and submit a comprehensive compliance report to the Registrar General of the NGT within three months via email.

The Tribunal said that if required, the matter would be listed again for further consideration after review of the compliance status.