NGT wants report on car service stations

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has sought a status report on automobile service stations that have been discharging grease and oil into the Yamuna.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd and Delhi Pollution Control Committee to inform whether these service stations have permission to deal with hazardous wastes.

“The complete details should also refer to the service stations which are apparently dealing/releasing hazardous waste. Whether they have the permission to deal with the hazardous waste or not, and do they have in place sufficient anti-pollution devices that would handle even such hazardous waste, grease, oil etc,” the bench said.

The direction came after DSIIDC failed to satisfy the tribunal about the functioning of service stations. The bench noted that when a car is washed, a large amount of oil and grease mixes with water and goes down the drain without being treated causing pollution in Yamuna. The tribunal also directed Delhi government and DSIIDC to inform it about the status of common effluent treatment plants.