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The National Green Tribunal has issued a show-cause notice to TDI City in Mohali over serious environmental violations, including non-functional sewage treatment plants (STPs) and illegal discharge of untreated wastewater. A joint inspection by the PPCB, CPCB, and local authorities found the township's STPs failed to meet BOD, TSS, and faecal coliform standards. Waste from a nearby colony was also found contaminating land owned by the Emaar Group. The NGT cited violations under the Water and Air Acts and warned of further regulatory action based on pending water analysis results. The case highlights growing concerns over STP failures across India.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a show-cause notice to TDI City, a residential township in Mohali, Punjab, over serious environmental violations. The notice follows findings from a joint committee comprising the Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the district magistrate's office, which investigated complaints about non-functional sewage treatment plants (STPs) and uncontrolled sewage discharge in the area. Advertisement
The committee's inspection revealed that TDI City's sewage treatment infrastructure was inadequate and non-compliant. A 100 KLD STP failed to meet biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) standards, while a larger 2.5 MLD STP exceeded acceptable levels of total suspended solids (TSS). Both plants also failed to meet the faecal coliform standards set under PPCB guidelines, which require levels below 1,000 MPN/100 ml.
The investigation also uncovered that untreated wastewater from Green Enclave, a nearby colony in Daun Majra village, was being discharged directly onto an undeveloped plot belonging to the Emaar Group, leading to water stagnation and contamination. Nearby agricultural landowners had to construct an embankment to protect their fields from pollution. The PPCB noted that while the STPs complied with pH, BOD, and TSS norms per its 2019 notification, they failed on critical microbiological parameters.
Based on these findings, the NGT directed the issuance of a show-cause notice to TDI Township located in sectors 74-A, 92, 116, 117, 118, and 119, citing violations under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The notice provides the developer an opportunity to be heard. Water samples collected during the inspection are under analysis, and regulatory action is expected depending on the final test results.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about non-functional STPs across India. The NGT has recently issued notices to other states, including Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, over untreated sewage polluting the Ganga River. Compliance affidavits revealed that many STPs in these states are frequently non-operational, contributing to water pollution.
The NGT's actions underscore the importance of functional sewage treatment infrastructure in preventing environmental degradation. Developers and local authorities are urged to ensure compliance with environmental norms to protect public health and the environment.
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