Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee urges NGT to evaluate pollution level in N-Choe
Last month, a team from the Central Pollution Control Board tested the water, and the CPCC issued a notice to the Municipal Corporation
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N-Choe, stretching 13.04 km and originating from the north of Chandigarh, passes through various sectors before reaching its end. (File Photo)The UT administration, through the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC), recently submitted its reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), emphasising the need for authorities to evaluate the level of pollution in seasonal rivulet N-Choe by measuring Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC).
The CPCC stressed that assessing pollution levels solely by evaluating Coliform, which was found to be high and above the prescribed level in N-Choe last month, cannot accurately depict the pollution level. Coliform is bacteria and its presence in water systems prompts investigations into how contamination occurred. Despite the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation’s claim that N-Choe has almost no leakage points, the high presence of coliform in the water raised concerns.
Last month, a team from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) tested the water, and the CPCC issued a notice to the Municipal Corporation. N-Choe, stretching 13.04 km and originating from the north of Chandigarh, passes through various sectors before reaching its end.
A CPCC official stated, “We urged the NGT to evaluate water pollution in N-Choe while measuring BOD and FC, simultaneously. Merely assessing Coliform does not provide an accurate depiction of overall water pollution. Additionally, we found the BOD level in the water samples from N-Choe satisfactory, along with the level of faecal coliform.”
The Municipal Corporation asserted that there were no water leakages in N-Choe, and all leakage points were sealed. Further, no Sewage Water Treatment (SWT) plant water is being discharged into N-Choe. Separately, the CPCC urged the UT administration to install iron mesh and nets on both sides of roads along N-Choe’s route. This falls under the purview of the Engineering Wing of the UT administration. A meeting chaired by Home Secretary Nitin Yadav will be held on Monday, attended by officials from the Municipal Corporation, CPCC, and the Engineering Wing.
Sources stated, “Although there is minimal chance of sewage water leakage into N-Choe, stormwater pipelines continuously discharge water here. Ideally, stormwater pipelines should only release water during rains, but since these pipelines connect throughout Chandigarh, wastewater from markets, streets, and residential areas, containing various pollutants, enters these pipelines and eventually reaches N-Choe.”
On January 18, the NGT took suo moto notice of The Indian Express December 15 report, ‘How garbage is choking N-choe in Chandigarh’. The report highlighted the dire condition of the seasonal stream N-Choe running through the heart of Chandigarh. In response to the notice, the CPCC submitted a comprehensive reply confirming that sewage water was being released into N-Choe, and certain leaking points were plugged.
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