--- title: "NGT criticises KSPCB for incomplete Kadambrayar pollution report" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/ngt-critique-kspcb-kadambrayar-e1pqd publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-18T05:32:25.259Z modified: 2026-08-18T07:30:07.280Z language: en-IN --- # NGT criticises KSPCB for incomplete Kadambrayar pollution report The National Green Tribunal rejected Kerala’s report on Kadambrayar river pollution as incomplete and non-compliant with prior directives. It ordered a revised filing by September 11, 2026 while noting local body inspections and a 100 KLD sewage plant as part of remedial steps. ## Key takeaways - NGT deems the KSPCB report on Kadambrayar pollution incomplete and not in compliance with directions. - The tribunal requires verification by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board and a new report by September 11, 2026. - Inspections by local authorities occurred from May 25 to June 3, 2026 across multiple jurisdictions around Kochi. - A 100 KLD sewage treatment plant was installed at Brahmapuram, and a CCTV monitoring gap was noted at some locations. - Fines were reportedly levied by Thrikkakara municipality for waste dumping, totaling ₹26,590 in a prior period. ## What Happened The National Green Tribunal’s Southern Bench faulted the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) for an action-report on measures to curb pollution in the Kadambrayar River in Ernakulam, calling the submission incomplete and not in line with earlier directions to assess environmental compensation under the polluter pays principle. The tribunal instructed the board to file a better report by September 11, 2026, and underscored that the verification should be done by the KSPCB itself rather than the local authorities. The tribunal’s decision followed scrutiny of a report titled and published in a national newspaper, which had highlighted faecal contamination in Kadambrayar. The tribunal had previously asked the Department of Local Self-Government to provide action-taken details and to assess environmental compensation based on violations linked to the river’s pollution. In its response, the KSPCB said it briefed the tribunal that inspections occurred from May 25 to June 3, 2026, covering several local jurisdictions: Edathala grama panchayat, Thrikkakkara municipality, Kunnathunadu grama panchayat, Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat, and Kochi Corporation. The board also reported a fine amount collected by Thrikkakara municipality, several monitoring gaps, and a sewage treatment facility installed in Brahmapuram as part of remedial measures. ## Why It Matters NGT’s comment signals continued skepticism about the sufficiency and verifiability of the pollution-control steps in Kadambrayar, a river listed among the 32 polluted stretches by the Central Pollution Control Board for restoration of water quality in 2025. The tribunal’s insistence on a board-led verification and on environmental compensation emphasizes accountability under the polluter pays principle and could affect how local bodies are assessed and charged for pollution-related harms. ## Background Kadambrayar River is identified in a CPCB list of polluted river stretches requiring restoration. Earlier coverage highlighted ongoing faecal contamination in the Kadambrayar area, spurring regulatory attention and an order for remedial action. The Southern Bench has been reviewing compliance and the adequacy of measures taken by local authorities and agencies managing the river’s banks and discharge sources. ## Key Facts - The tribunal rejected the KSPCB’s report as incomplete and not in compliance with directions to assess environmental compensation. - There was an instruction to verify the compliance report by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board itself, not merely through local bodies. - Inspections by the board occurred from May 25 to June 3, 2026 across Edathala, Thrikkakkara, Kunnathunadu, Kizhakkambalam, and Kochi Corporation. - Thrikkakara municipality reportedly imposed a total fine of ₹26,590 from March 2024 to August 2024 for dumping garbage into water bodies. - A CCTV facility was not installed at certain vulnerable bridge locations along the Kizhakkambalam area as part of monitoring waste dumping into the river. - Kochi Corporation completed a survey of sources of discharge into Kadambrayar. - A sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 100 KLD has been installed at Brahmapuram as part of remedial measures. - The board stated the river’s restoration measures were to be evaluated under the polluter pays principle, and a better report is due by September 11, 2026. ## What Happens Next The tribunal set a deadline of September 11, 2026, for the KSPCB to file a more complete report. The next steps involve the board’s verification of compliance and inclusion of environmental compensation considerations based on identified violations, in line with prior directives. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/ngt-critique-kspcb-kadambrayar-e1pqd Reported from: Multiple Sources