Wastewater flowing into Chandigarh’s N-Choe: Centre admits in Parliament – Tribune India

Report on Environmental Neglect of N-Choe Watercourse and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

A formal inquiry in the Lok Sabha has confirmed persistent environmental degradation of Chandigarh’s N-Choe watercourse due to wastewater and sewage discharge. The findings, acknowledged by the Environment Minister, reveal significant failures in urban environmental management, directly contravening multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). This report details the acknowledged violations, institutional shortcomings, and the lack of restorative action, contextualizing them within the SDG framework.

2.0 Violations of SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The contamination of the N-Choe represents a direct failure to achieve targets under SDG 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Key issues identified include:

• Persistent Wastewater Discharge: The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has repeatedly reported the discharge of wastewater into the N-Choe over the past year.
• High Coliform Levels: The inquiry highlighted concerns over high coliform levels, indicating severe sewage contamination and a direct threat to public health and water quality.
• Inadequate Sewage Treatment Oversight: A critical lapse in monitoring and compliance was noted, undermining efforts to treat wastewater effectively.
  1. Of the eight terminal Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Chandigarh, six were found to be non-compliant with data transmission protocols.
  2. These STPs, with a combined capacity of 253.5 MLD, were not transmitting online effluent-quality data to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
  3. Statutory directions were consequently issued to the Municipal Corporation on October 30 to address this failure.

3.0 Challenges to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The mismanagement of the N-Choe, an essential ecological feature, undermines the objective of SDG 11 to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The failure of urban bodies to protect this natural watercourse points to systemic issues in sustainable urban planning.

• Failure of Urban Bodies: The inquiry exposed the inability of local authorities to implement long-term sewage and drainage management plans for the city’s natural watercourses.
• Solid Waste Dumping: A CPCB inspection identified instances of solid-waste dumping along the N-Choe, further degrading the urban environment.
• Lack of Rejuvenation Plan: The Centre confirmed that no proposal for the rejuvenation or restoration of the 12.5-km N-Choe stretch has been submitted in the last three years, indicating a lack of commitment to preserving vital urban green and blue infrastructure.

4.0 Institutional Shortcomings and Governance Gaps (SDG 16)

The recurring violations and lack of accountability reflect weaknesses in environmental governance, impacting SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Despite interventions from regulatory bodies, enforcement remains a challenge.

• Non-Compliance with NGT Directives: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had previously directed the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to ensure “regular and continuous monitoring so that no sewage flows into N-Choe.” However, the CPCC confirmed that discharges continued to occur.
• Lack of Accountability: The inquiry sought to establish accountability for the persistent violations and failure to protect the watercourse.
• CPCB Recommendations: The CPCB recommended specific measures, including tapping all leakages from pipelines and installing protective netting to prevent littering, which highlights ongoing and unaddressed infrastructural and management deficits.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues of water pollution, waste management, and ecosystem degradation within an urban environment, directly connecting to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – This is the most central SDG, as the article’s main focus is the contamination of the N-Choe stream with wastewater and sewage, and the failure of sewage treatment plants (STPs).
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The problem is set in the city of Chandigarh and involves the failure of urban bodies to manage sewage, drainage, and solid waste, which impacts the city’s environmental health.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water – The pollution from land-based activities, such as sewage and solid waste discharge into the N-Choe, ultimately flows into larger water bodies (the Ghaggar river), impacting aquatic ecosystems downstream.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article describes the N-Choe as a “vital ecological spine,” indicating its importance as an inland freshwater ecosystem. The lack of restoration efforts and ongoing pollution directly threaten this local ecosystem.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific problems discussed, the following SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.

     Explanation: The article directly addresses this target by describing the “discharge of wastewater” and “sewage overflows” into the N-Choe. The mention of “solid-waste dumping” and the failure of STPs to provide effluent quality data point to a failure in treating wastewater and reducing pollution.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.

     Explanation: The article highlights the “failure of urban bodies to implement long-term sewage and drainage management plans.” This failure in municipal waste management (both sewage and solid waste) directly contributes to the adverse environmental impact of the city of Chandigarh.

3. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

     Explanation: The pollution in the N-Choe is a clear example of pollution from “land-based activities.” The article notes that the stream eventually drains into the Ghaggar river, carrying pollutants like sewage and solid waste downstream, which degrades water quality far beyond the city limits.

4. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…

     Explanation: The Centre’s admission that “no proposal for rejuvenation or restoration of the N-Choe had been made” directly contravenes the goal of restoring inland freshwater ecosystems. The article identifies the N-Choe as a “vital ecological spine,” underscoring the need for its restoration.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Incidents of Wastewater Discharge: The report from the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) about continued “incidents of wastewater discharge” serves as a direct, albeit qualitative, indicator of ongoing pollution and failure to meet Target 6.3.
• Coliform Levels: The mention of “high coliform levels” is a specific, measurable indicator of water quality, particularly fecal contamination. Monitoring these levels would directly track progress in improving water quality (Target 6.3).
• Online Effluent-Quality Data from STPs: The fact that six out of eight STPs were “not transmitting online effluent-quality data” is a critical indicator of a lack of monitoring and transparency in wastewater treatment. The percentage of STPs providing this data would be a clear progress metric for Target 6.3.
• Presence of Solid Waste: The CPCB’s finding of “solid-waste dumping near Hibiscus Garden” is an indicator of failed municipal waste management. The frequency and volume of such dumping incidents can be tracked to measure progress towards Target 11.6.
• Status of Rejuvenation Proposal: The statement that “no proposal for rejuvenation or restoration of the N-Choe had been made” acts as a binary (Yes/No) indicator for progress on Target 15.1. The development and implementation of such a plan would signify a positive change.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: tribuneindia.com