Noting that 16 States have submitted “incomplete action plans” pertaining to the cleaning of 351 polluted river stretches in the country, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has extended the deadline for submitting the action plans to January 31.

The green panel, however, added that in case of non-compliance, hefty compensation will be levied on the States and the Union Territories.

The directions came after the green panel took suo-motu cognisance of a report published by The Hindu, pertaining to an increased number of polluted river stretches across the country.

A Bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said, “Contamination of water and deterioration of water quality are matters to be taken seriously as they affect public health…Unfortunately, in spite of categorical directions of this tribunal, 15 States and UTs have failed to carry out the order.”

“The said States and UTs have not even taken the first requisite step of preparing an action plan, showing total insensitivity to such a serious matter and public issue. With great regret, we may be left with no opinion but to take coercive action, if there is further failure,” the Bench added. While warning States of heavy fines, in case of non-compliance after January 31, the NGT said, “…for every delay, compensation for damage to the environment will be payable by each State or UT at the rate of ₹1 crore per month for each of the Priority-I and Priority II stretches, ₹50 lakh per month for stretches in Priority III and ₹25 lakh per month each for Priority IV and Priority V stretches.”

The tribunal added that the compensation amount “may be recovered from the erring officers.”

State pollution control boards and pollution control committees of the UTs have been directed to display quality of the water of polluted river stretches on their respective websites within 30 days and the same has to be revised every three months.

“Any incomplete action plan will be treated as non-compliance. Performance guarantees are to be furnished for implementation of action plans within the above stipulated time to the satisfaction of the Central Pollution Control Board in the sum of ₹15 crore each for Priority I and II stretches, ₹10 crore for each of Priority III stretches and ₹5 crore for each of Priority IV and V stretches,” the Bench added.