‘Horrible, Sewage-Filled Roads’: SC Refuses Agra Authority Plea Against Rs 2 Crore Fine By NGT

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna decided to junk an appeal by the Agra Development Authority.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while looking at the pictures of sewage on Agra roads, said it is a “horrible” site and it was appalling that roads were taken over by the untreated sewage waste.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna decided to junk an appeal by the Agra Development Authority (ADA). The authority had moved before the top court challenging a Rs two crore fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), for failing to act against environmental damage caused by untreated sewage in the city. The authority was asked to nominate within three weeks a senior officer to ensure that tribunal’s direction was complied with.

The bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar, remanded the matter back to the NGT and said it would be at liberty to pass any order as per law.

During the hearing, the authority’s counsel said the situation has been remedied. However, the bench remarked, “Look at the photographs. They are horrible and some of the roads are invisible and taken over by the untreated sewage waste”.

The bench asked the ADA to file an action plan within four weeks before the NGT, to remedy the situation, besides ensuring that sewage was transported from the colonies once every week.

In January 2023, the tribunal had imposed the heavy penalty on the ADA for failing to prevent environmental damages due to untreated sewage discharge from Nalanda Town, a housing colony on Shamshabad Road in Agra. Previously, the tribunal levied a fine of Rs 25 lakh.

The apex court said the fines of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh previously deposited by the ADA with its registry will be released to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board which will use it for upgrading the sewage treatment plant in the city.

The case before the NGT arose from a complaint claiming unchecked discharge of 1.45 lakh litre of untreated sewage daily from the housing colony.