The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued bailable warrants against medical superintendents of 12 hospitals in Delhi for failing to appear before it on a plea seeking implementation of rainwater harvesting systems. These hospitals had “incorrectly claimed” that they had installed rainwater harvesting systems. The NGT bench issued bailable warrants “in the sum of Rs 10,000” against the medical superintendents and directors of the hospitals. These are Shanti Mukund Hospital, Metro Hospital and Cancer Institute, Sundar Lal Jain Charitable Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Rockland Hospital, MGS Super Specialty Hospital, Bensups Hospital, City Hospital, Deepak Memorial Hospital and Kukreja Hospital and Heart Centre. In its order, the NGT said, “These hospitals incorrectly claimed that they had installed rainwater harvesting systems and that the systems were functioning effectively.” On inspection, these claims were found to be untrue, resulting in “issuance of showcause notices to which they have not responded”. The NGT also issued showcause notice to the hospitals asking them why they should not be directed to pay compensation for polluting groundwater and not complying with the laws. The NGT has ordered that the inspection report regarding all government hospitals be filed by the next date of hearing. The same team, along with a member of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board or the UP State Pollution Control Board, will also inspect hotels, malls or buildings in Delhi-NCR. The tribunal was hearing a plea by Vikrant Kumar Tongad, which had sought directions to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to “install proper rainwater harvesting system” at all its existing as well as proposed and under-construction stations, tracks and depots. Tongad had submitted that if rainwater harvesting system is properly installed at all stations, tracks and depots of DMRC, about 6.37 crore litre of water can be saved.
