Pollution control body imposes fine of Rs 16 crore on 3 govt health institutes in Chandigarh
The three health institutes failed to treat wastewater and has been discharging untreated sewage into the drains for the last five years since 2019.
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The institutes were fined for violating the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. (Express file photo of PGIMER by Jasbir Malhi) The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has imposed a fine of Rs 16 crore on three premier government health institutes, including PGIMER, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16.
The fine was slapped as environmental compensation as the three health institutes failed to treat wastewater and has been discharging untreated sewage into the drains for the last five years since 2019. The fine was slapped Friday.
The imposition of the fine was as per the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has been raising concerns over the release of untreated water into the Municipal Corporation drains several times. The fine was imposed for violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
CPCC officials said a penalty of Rs 5.63 crore was slapped on the PGI, Rs 5.62 crore penalty on the GMCH-32 and Rs 5.62 crore penalty on GMSH-16 for the violations of the NGT guidelines from February 19, 2019 to March 28, 2023.
The committee, which slapped the fine, includes Home Secretary Nitin Yadav, Director, UT Environment Department, Debendra Dalai and Finance Secretary Vijay Namdeorao Zade.
A member of the committee requesting anonymity said, “The fine was slapped after serving repeated notices to these three institutes about the violations. If the health institutes fail to pay the fine, penal interest will be included in the amount. The institutes failed to install Effluent Treatment Plants (ESP) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) within their premises, which is mandatory.”
According to the CPCC, the GMCH-32 is discharging 1.5 million gallons of untreated water per day, the PGI is discharging 3.5 million gallons and the GMSH is discharging around 1 million gallons each day into the drains.
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