NGT seeks Centre's reply on RO filters in residential areas

NEW DELHI: An NGO's plea against installation of reverse osmosis (RO) water purifiers in residential societies and villages on the ground that it leads to wastage of water has prompted National Green Tribunal to seek response from the Centre.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar issued notice to the Ministry of Water Resources and sought its reply before the next date of hearing, August 4.

The NGO in its plea has said that for each litre of purified water, filter dumps almost three to four litres of waste water resulting into wastage of around 80 per cent water.

NGO Friends has alleged that publicity is being given through celebrities like Hema Malini and Sachin Tendulkar to RO water purifiers which effect the common man "who start going for them".

"Due to the growth of water purification technologies through the RO system, water is being wasted and the ground water is being polluted at large scale," the plea, filed through advocate Sugriva Dubey, said.

"RO systems are being installed in different villages and the poor villagers are compelled to purchase the water from them," it said.

The NGO has said that ground water is being polluted by these huge RO systems as highly contaminated water wasted percolates in the soil causing pollution of ground water which is the only source of water for the poor persons.