Guwahati: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken serious note of environmental degradation at Deepor Beel in Guwahati, a Ramsar-designated wetland, and flagged violations reported by pollution control authorities.
The matter is being heard suo motu by the NGT’s Eastern Zone Bench following a report published in a local English daily on April 22 last year.
The bench, comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Ishwar Singh, on Thursday examined findings submitted by the Central and Assam pollution control boards.
According to a report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on July 18 last year, water quality parameters at Deepor Beel were found to be beyond prescribed limits.
The presence of faecal coliform and faecal streptococci pointed to significant contamination of the wetland, the Tribunal noted.
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The order also took exception to the response filed by the Assam State Wetlands Authority, describing its reply dated August 23, 2025, as “short and cryptic” and stating that it failed to address the violations highlighted in the CPCB and Assam Pollution Control Board reports.
On a plea made by the wetlands authority, the Tribunal granted four weeks’ time to carry out remedial measures and submit a comprehensive status and action-taken report.
Recognising the role of urban pollution in impacting the wetland, the Tribunal also impleaded the Guwahati Municipal Corporation as a respondent in the case.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 23, the order said.
