The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state pollution regulators across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar to take prompt action against more than 1,700 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) alleged to be discharging untreated effluents into crucial water bodies, including the Ganga and Yamuna.

A Bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad was hearing an original application filed by Md Imran Ahmad, who appeared in person, alleging that hundreds of GPIs had failed to comply with CPCB’s directions to install Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) – a real-time surveillance mechanism for effluent discharge.

The applicant informed the NGT that he had submitted a detailed representation to the CPCB Chairperson on March 8, 2025, seeking immediate enforcement, but no action has been taken. Taking note of the large number of defaulting industries and their continued discharge of effluents into critical water bodies, the green tribunal observed that the issue required urgent regulatory intervention.

The Justice Shrivastava-led Bench directed the CPCB Chairperson to consider the applicant’s representation and issue necessary directions to the pollution control boards of UP, Haryana, Bihar and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to ensure immediate installation of OCEMS in all such industries and to strictly monitor compliance.