NGT Orders Inspection of Kanpur Tannery Discharge and Meerut Sewerage Gaps

The National Green Tribunal received affidavit evidence on 9 April 2026 showing that sewerage coverage in Meerut reaches only 30 per cent of the urban area, while chromium levels at two of seven Jajmau sewage treatment plants in Kanpur exceeded Central Pollution Control Board standards due to illegal effluent discharge from tanneries. The tribunal also directed authorities to submit details of nodal officers appointed for Ganga pollution prevention across each Gram Sabha, municipality and local authority.

In Meerut, 137,042 household sewer connections service an existing network of approximately 797 kilometres, with a city-wide action plan submitted under the AMRUT programme for 100 per cent coverage. Floodplain delineation based on a 1:25 flood frequency ratio has been completed; the Central Water Commission is determining the 1:100 ratio boundary while the Survey of India is mapping the Hindon river floodplain. In Baghpat, approximately 34,446 households lack sewer connections and a proposed 16 MLD sewage treatment plant is at the detailed project report stage. No industrial effluent discharge has been observed in the Baghpat drain.

In Kanpur, five of seven sewage treatment plants with combined capacity of 506 MLD are compliant with discharge standards as of February 2026 testing by IIT Kanpur and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. However, the 130 MLD and 43 MLD STPs at Jajmau recorded chromium levels above CPCB norms, attributed to illegal ingress of untreated tannery effluent mixing with domestic sewage. A proposal for disposal of hazardous sludge has been forwarded to the National Mission for Clean Ganga. Floodplain zoning has been completed for 10 rivers including the Ganga, Yamuna and Betwa, with work in progress for 28 more.

The NGT separately took up a case against J K Cement Works at Jharli village, Jhajjar district, Haryana on 16 April 2026 following a complaint of uncontrolled cement dust and particulate matter emissions, open material storage and uncovered transport trucks. The applicant alleged that air quality monitoring equipment was placed near fully grown trees, potentially distorting readings, and that independent sample analysis showed significantly worse air quality than company-reported figures. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has issued two show-cause notices but has not taken effective action, according to the complaint. The next hearing is scheduled for 3 August 2026.

Key figure — Sewerage coverage at 30% in Meerut urban area