Srinagar Sept 9 (KNS) : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir over the construction of a Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) around Khadi Mill ground, Alouchibagh, Srinagar. The petitioners from the locality led by Bhupender Singh and others pleaded before the tribunal that the said STP was being built in violation of several environmental laws and just adjacent to the residential houses in Friends Colony locality.

Senior counsel and noted environmental lawyer Advocate Saurabh Sharma appeared before the NGT bench of Justice Prakash Srivastava (Chairman NGT) and Dr Afroz Alam (Expert Member) and pleaded that Sewerage Treatment Plant- STP is being set up at a distance of 5 to 10 meters from the houses of the applicants. He further informed the tribunal that inspection by the officers of J&K Pollution Control Committee- J&K PCC also mentioned that the proposed STP was found to be set up only at a distance of 25 meters from the houses, whereas as per the norms the minimum distance has to be 500 meters.

As per the order of the NGT the J&K Pollution Control Committee- J&K PCC is said to have issued the Consent to Establish - CTE for the STP for the same place on 20.03.2026 which was rescinded on 21.05.206 by the J&K PCC. T

The applicants raised the plea before the NGT that the Khadi Mill ground where the STP is being set up is a low-lying flood-prone area located just adjacent to the Flood Spill Channel and was completely flooded during the 2014 floods. Further objection of the applicants is that the said STP will create a health hazard and violate their right to life.

The Counsel for the applicants Advocate Saurabh Sharma presented a communication of the Regional Director, J&K Pollution Control Committee- J&K PCC Kashmir dated 29.01.2026 which has been addressed to the Superintendent Engineer, Urban Environmental Engineering Department-UEED, Srinagar in support of violation of siting criteria and has referred to Clause-6 of the CTE in support of the plea of violating the noise criteria.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“Learned Counsel for the applicants has also pointed out the order of the Division Bench of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar dated 01.07.2026 in LPA No. 129/2026 in the matter of Residents of Allochi Bagh & Ors. vs. UT of Jammu & Kashmir & others and has submitted that the present applicants were not the member of the that association and even otherwise the High Court had directed setting up the STP at the proposed site strictly as per the norms and regulations “ reads the NGT order

The order further reads :

“The Original Application -OA raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms. Issue notice in the OA and IA No. 648/2026 to the respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing through e-filing. 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.
The Applicant is directed to serve the respondents and file affidavit
of service at least one week before the next date of hearing”

The matter is again listed for hearing before the Principal Bench of NGT on 25th November 2026. Pertinent to mention that two Sewage Treatment Plants -STPs have to be set up for treatment of waste water in Doodhganga stream at an estimated cost of Rs 140 crores in response to NGTs order in the case of Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat vs J&K Govt and others (OA No: 241/ 2021) .

One STP is coming up at Kralpora Chadoora and another is being set up at Alouchibagh Srinagar. Work on the Kralpora STP is proceeding smoothly. However, regarding the Alouchibagh STP, locals have raised serious concerns because it is being set up in a low-lying flood zone area, adjacent to residential houses in Friends Colony.