DM orders probe into illegal sewage dumping, seeks details of all tankers in operation
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Dehradun district magistrate Ashish Chauhan on Thursday ordered a detailed inquiry into the illegal dumping of untreated sewage into the Rispana river and directed officials to identify all sewage tankers operating in the district and verify whether those in the city are registered with the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD).
The directions come after The Pioneer reported that sewage tankers were discharging untreated sewage into the river through a pump connected directly to the waterbody. Chauhan said that the Tehsildar has been instructed to inspect the site, identify the tanker in question and verify its registration details before taking necessary action. He also directed officials to ascertain the total number of sewage tankers operating in Dehradun and cross-check their registration status with the MCD. Municipal officials found that the registration number displayed on the tanker involved in the incident does not exist in the corporation’s records. The mobile phone number painted on the tanker was also contacted during the inquiry. The person who answered claimed that he no longer owned or operated the vehicle, stating that he had sold it to another person in Dehradun while shifting to Ghaziabad.
MCD officials said that they have sought details from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to identify all sewage tankers registered in Dehradun. The RTO is yet to provide the information, delaying efforts to identify the current owner and operator of the tanker involved in the illegal sewage dumping, they said. The municipal officials have also not been able to identify who was operating the vehicle at the time of the incident. Repeated calls and messages from this correspondent to the MCD went unanswered.
Activist Anoop Nautiyal said that dumping of raw sewage into the Rispana river is deeply disturbing and reflects a serious failure of urban governance. At a time when crores of rupees are being spent on river rejuvenation, allowing sewage tankers to discharge waste directly into the river makes a mockery of these efforts. If these allegations are true, the MCD, district administration and the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board must immediately identify all offenders, prosecute them and ensure continuous monitoring of sewage disposal, Nautiyal said.
