Summary:
In a major victory for NGO Vanashakti and environmentalists fighting for protection of Ulhas river, while hearing the river pollution matter on Tuesday, the Supreme Court made the Maharashtra Chief Secretary Maharashtra give an undertaking that it will disburse Rs 100 crore for the restoration of Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers. "Most of these illegally operating units were directly releasing effluents in the river that had turned the water red. A senior official from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) said that the amount is the state's commitment to improve the condition of the rivers. "The bench was clearly very disappointed, as there were no steps being taken by concerned authorities to stop the irregularities and pollution of Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers," he said. The order comes as a big relief since we have relentlessly pursued this case for the past five years," said Stalin D, Director, Projects Vanshakti..