The indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the Kameng River carried out by the district authority, District Urban Development Agency, as flagged by the Youth Mission for Clean River, paints a sad picture regarding the flouting of environmental norms by government agencies, who are meant to be model examples of upholding such important rules.
Over the years the abuse of rivers has increased astronomically with pollutants becoming more toxic and complex. Not just big cities, but even smaller towns are neglecting and abusing rivers. Untreated sewage from homes and businesses are directly emptied into water bodies. The consequences of this deliberate act of polluting rivers has huge environmental as well as health concerns.
Recently, the state government has showed serious intent in this regard by serving notices to business establishments in the Itanagar Capital Region for operating without installation of Effluent Treatment Plant/ Sewage Treatment Plant in violation of section 25/26 of the water( Prevention and Control of Pollution) Acts 1974.
Waste generated from these hotels, automobile shops etc., are running down to rivers directly without being treated and thereby polluting the rivers especially the Dikrong, Senki and Pachin, the State Pollution Board observed.
This is not only a Itanagar-centric problem but a Pan Arunachal one. All over the state, district headquarters have no garbage management system in place and dumping near river bodies is rampant, in all cases carried out by the endorsement of the authorities.
In spite of statutory framework and binding legal precedents, violation of law is rampant and therefore stern approach is necessary against polluters for pollution as well as the regulatory authorities for their failure and inaction to perform timely duties.
It is a matter of serious concern that compliance of environment norms is not paid heed. Environment degradation severely affects human health requiring immediate attention and cannot be dealt with by authorities at leisure.