New Delhi [India], April 8, (ANI): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has clarified that its earlier instructions on regulating water tankers in Delhi will apply to all industrial water provide, together with tankers carrying handled sewage (STP) water.
The Tribunal made it clear that there isn’t any distinction between groundwater and handled water relating to monitoring and compliance, and all tankers should observe the identical guidelines.
The clarification got here whereas deciding purposes filed by tanker operators who argued that the Tribunal’s earlier order dated May 28, 2025, was being wrongly utilized to tankers transporting handled STP water. They sought safety from FIRs and coercive motion, claiming that their operations had been lawful and authorised by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Rejecting this rivalry, the Tribunal held that though handled STP water shouldn’t be groundwater, the sooner order used the broader time period ‘water’ and was supposed to control all industrial water provide by tankers. It was noticed that making use of Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring to all tankers would assist forestall misuse, together with unlawful transportation of groundwater beneath the duvet of handled water provide.
The Tribunal reiterated that every one tankers have to be GPS-fitted, and authorities are empowered to grab automobiles and register prison circumstances in case of violations. It additionally emphasised that tanker drivers should carry correct paperwork, resembling gate passes and transit passes, and produce them throughout inspections, failing which each drivers and homeowners could face authorized penalties.
Noting gaps within the current monitoring mechanism, the NGT issued extra instructions to the Delhi Jal Board. It directed the DJB to subject gate passes and transit passes for each tanker load, keep detailed and chronological information of all tankers lifting handled water, and guarantee correct documentation. The Tribunal warned that failure to adjust to these instructions may lead to prosecution of involved officers beneath environmental and prison legal guidelines.
The Tribunal additionally took notice of situations the place FIRs had been registered in opposition to tanker operators however later cancelled after it was discovered that the tankers had been carrying handled water. However, it noticed that in such circumstances, drivers had failed to supply legitimate paperwork on the time of checking, resulting in enforcement motion. It clarified that the problem of prison legal responsibility in such circumstances can be determined by the competent courts.
The Tribunal dismissed the impleadment utility filed by the tanker operators, holding that they weren’t needed events to the primary environmental dispute. The clarification utility was disposed of with the above instructions, and the order has been despatched to the Chief Secretary of Delhi, DJB, and the Commissioner of Police for strict compliance. (ANI)