Disposed

News Item Titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to Prevent Discharge of Toxic Industrial Effluence Into Guruganga Stream Near Humnabad" Appearing in the Hindu Dated 04.08.2026. vs

NGT19 Aug 2026Original Application No. 491/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The NGT National Green Tribunal registered the matter suo motu based on a news report concerning toxic industrial effluent discharge into the Guruganga stream near Humnabad. The Court identified respondents, issued notices, and transferred the Original Application to the Southern Zonal Bench at Chennai for further action.

What did the court decide?

The original application was transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench at Chennai for further hearing on 05.10.2026; respondents were impleaded and given notice to file replies.

News Item Titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to… — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2026)

¶1

Item No. 03

¶2

Court No. 1

¶3

BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

¶4

Original Application No. 491/2026

¶5

News Item Titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to Prevent Discharge of Toxic Industrial Effluence into Guruganga Stream Near Humnabad" appearing in the Hindu dated 04.08.2026

¶6

Date of hearing: 19.08.2026

¶7

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER

¶8

ORDER

¶9

This original application is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to Prevent Discharge of Toxic Industrial Effluence into Guruganga Stream Near Humnabad" appearing in the Hindu dated 04.08.2026.

¶10

The news item relates to toxic industrial effluent discharge in Guruganaga stream near Humnabad, Bidar district, Karnataka. As per the news item, hundreds of students and residents of villages around Humnabad Industrial Area have taken up protest march seeking permanent measures to prevent the discharge of alleged toxic industrial effluents into the sacred Guruganga stream at Maniknagar. The pollution is serious which has impacted public health and affected on pilgrimage centre. The news item also highlights that the water in river has turned black and has produced foul odour smell and oily layer on the surface resulting death of aquatic life. Further the contamination has spread into groundwater threatening drinking water source in Maniknagar, Humnabad, Gadavanti, Mokera, Dhummansur, Hudgi and neighbouring villages. As per the news item the pollution has impact on human health causing skin ailments, gastrointestinal infections, liver and kidney disorder including neurological complications and other health problems.

¶11

¶12

Further every year lakhs of devotees visit Maniknagar to take a holy dip at Guruganga-Viraja Sangam. The residents seek permanent solution by identifying the source of contamination and strict action against violating industries.

¶13

The above matter indicates violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

¶14

The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with the environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment.

¶15

Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter suo-motu has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897 .

¶16

Hence, we implead the following as respondents in the matter:

¶17

(1). Central Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary, Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110032.

¶18

(2). Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Parisara Bhavana, No. 49, Church Street, Bengaluru – 560001.

¶19

(3). District Magistrate Bidar District, DC Office Compound, Opposite Old Bus Stand, Adarsh Colony, Bidar - 585401, Karnataka.

¶20

(4). Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change at Bangalore, Kendriya Sadan, 4th Floor, E&F Wings, 17^th Main Road, Koramangala II Block, Bangalore – 560034.

¶21

Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least

¶22

¶23

one week before the next date of hearing. If any respondent directly files the reply without routing it through his advocate, then the said respondent will remain virtually present to assist the Tribunal.

¶24

Since the matter falls within the jurisdiction of Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal, therefore, the OA is transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai for appropriate further action. Let the original record of the OA be transferred to Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai.

¶25

List before Southern Zonal Bench at Chennai on 05.10.2026.

¶26

Prakash Shrivastava, CP

¶27

Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM

¶28

August 19, 2026 Original Application No. 491/2026 dv

¶29

News Item Titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to Prevent Discharge of Toxic Industrial Effluence Into Guruganga Stream Near Humnabad" Appearing in the Hindu Dated 04.08.2026. vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

News Item Titled "Residents Seek Permanent Measures to Prevent Discharge of Toxic Industrial Effluence Into Guruganga Stream Near Humnabad" Appearing in the Hindu Dated 04.08.2026. vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Cases cited

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

Similar cases

Subhas Datta vs State of West Bengal Notice through the Chief Secretary

Nitin Anand vs Ministry of Railways

Pankaj Kumar vs

Lavlesh Vaishya vs Union of India

Inam Sabir vs State of Uttarakhand

Manishbhai Ashwinbhai Patel vs State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority Gujarat

Subash Chandra Rana vs Department of Forest Environment and Climate Change

M/S Chowdhary Brick Works vs State of Uttar Pradesh

Sanjiv Kumar Kumra vs Haryana State Pollution Control Board

Shyam Narayan Maurya vs Appellate Authority /Special Secretary Environment Forest and Climate Change Department Govt. of U.P

Sanjiv Kumar Kumra vs Haryana State Pollution Control Board

Arunjit Singh Sodhi vs Government of NCT of Delhi through the Secretary

News Item Titled "Pillars of Ravi-Tawi Canal Bridge and Railway Bridge Exposed After Mining in Basantar River of Samba" Appearing in Daily Excelsior Dated 02.06.2024 vs

Jitendra Mahajan vs Govt. of N.C.T. of Delhi