Rivers Under Watch: Tribunal Gives Himachal Six Weeks to Fix Sewage Crisis
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has turned the spotlight on Himachal Pradesh’s rivers, giving officials just six weeks to act against sewage treatment plants (STPs) that are polluting water bodies with untreated waste.
On November 20, 2025, Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A. Senthil Vel of the Tribunal’s Principal Bench issued the directive while reviewing reports that named Ashwani Khud as one of the state’s most polluted rivers.
What’s at stake
- Out of 15 STPs checked, 14 are running but one—the Pandoh STP managed by BBMB—remains non-functional.
- The Jal Shakti Vibhag admitted that while most of the sewerage network (724.74 km of the approved 748.55 km) has been laid, nearly 100 km is still unconnected.
- JSV Chief Engineer Anju Sharma assured the Tribunal that 88% of the work is complete, asking for six weeks to finish the rest.
Accountability push
The Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board has already asked Deputy Commissioners of Shimla, Solan, and Mandi to recover environmental compensation from defaulting STPs as arrears of land revenue. The Tribunal has now demanded progress reports on these recoveries within the same six-week window.
Why this matters
The urgency stems from painful history. In 2015–16, Shimla faced a devastating jaundice outbreak that sickened over 10,000 residents after sewage-contaminated water from Ashwani Khud entered the city’s drinking supply. That crisis exposed deep flaws in the sewerage system—flaws the Tribunal is determined not to let repeat.
The case will be heard again on February 12, 2026, with the Tribunal expecting concrete action and accountability.
