Jaipur, July 30 — The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Zone Bench, Bhopal, has declined to interfere with the location of a proposed 10 Million Litres Per Day (MLD) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Village Chaturbhuj in Kotputli-Behror district, while directing authorities to implement stringent environmental safeguards to protect public health and the surrounding ecosystem, said officials on Thursday.
The order was passed by a Bench comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member, and Dr. Prashant Gargava, Expert Member, while disposing of Original Application No. 145/2025 (CZ), Satyanarayan Sharma & Another vs. State of Rajasthan & Others.
The application was filed by local residents seeking relocation of the proposed STP, contending that the selected site is situated close to ancient temples, a government school, a cow shelter, residential areas and public drinking water sources.
The applicants argued that the project could adversely affect public health and the environment through odour, noise, mosquito breeding and possible groundwater contamination.
They also suggested an alternative site, claiming it would be more suitable.
After considering submissions from all parties and the report of a Joint Committee constituted to inspect the site, the Tribunal noted that the STP, being developed under the AMRUT Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 25.5 crore, is based on modern Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology designed to scientifically treat municipal sewage before its discharge or reuse.
The inspection confirmed the presence of temples, a gaushala, residential houses, PHED borewells and plantations near the proposed site, while also recording concerns raised by local residents regarding odour, pollution and possible impacts on nearby religious places and livestock.
The Tribunal observed that modern sewage treatment plants are an essential part of urban environmental infrastructure and play a critical role in preventing pollution of rivers, groundwater and surrounding ecosystems. It further noted that although the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board has no exclusive siting guidelines for STPs, environmental safeguards and precautionary principles must be strictly followed.
Rejecting the plea to relocate the project, the Bench accepted the respondents' submission that the alternative site proposed by the applicants lies close to a river and is susceptible to flooding. It also observed that shifting the project would not be technically feasible and would result in significant additional expenditure from the public exchequer.
However, the Tribunal made it clear that construction or operation of the STP cannot commence without obtaining the mandatory Consent to Establish from the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
It further directed that the nearby public drinking water borewell must be adequately protected or relocated to eliminate any possibility of contamination.
Issuing a series of environmental safeguards, the Tribunal directed the authorities to develop a wide green buffer with dense plantation around the STP, install effective systems to control odour, noise and mosquito breeding, ensure that untreated sewage is never discharged into open land or natural water bodies, and maximise the reuse of treated water for roadside plantations, parks, gardens and other approved purposes.
The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board has also been directed to regularly monitor the project and ensure strict compliance with environmental norms in coordination with the District Administration and Nagar Parishad, Kotputli. With these directions, the Tribunal disposed of the application, allowing the project to proceed subject to strict compliance with environmental and statutory requirements.