‘Waters flowing into Brahmaputra have pollutants above permitted standard’

GUWAHATI:  The Advocate General of the State Government, D. Saikia, submitted before the division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Suman Shyam that the reports of analysis of the water samples collected from various water sources flowing into the river Brahmaputra at different locations within Guwahati have pollutant impurities far above the permitted standards.

The Advocate General further said that the state authorities have already started taking steps to address this issue, and he will place the proposed remedial measures on record for the Court’s perusal by the next date of the hearing of the suo motto PIL (4/2023) on October 12, 2023.

Earlier, the High Court did register the suo moto PIL (4/2023) on the strength of a letter from Pratap Chandra Das, a former student of Sonaram Higher Secondary School, Guwahati. He raised an important issue regarding the contamination and degradation of the Bharalu River flowing through Guwahati. The petitioner highlighted in his letter that the Bharalu river, which is a tributary to the mighty Brahmaputra river, has been severely polluted as hazardous waste materials have been dumped into the river, which is causing a risk to the health and hygiene of society. It is further alleged that none of the civic bodies entrusted with the task of maintaining the health and hygiene of the city dwellers of Guwahati has bothered to put in place proper interventional measures to address the devastating and precarious pollution of the river.

On July 26 this year, the High Court had ordered the Advocate General to instruct the officers concerned in the Water Resources Department and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to collect samples of contaminated water from all water sources flowing into the river Brahmaputra at different locations within Guwahati and get the same tested from an authorised laboratory.

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