Turning liability into asset

Abhisht Kusum Gupta, a Noida-based environmental activist, has been instrumental in addressing pollution issues in both the Hindon and Mandakini rivers through legal interventions. In March 2022, he filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), highlighting the severe pollution in the Hindon River due to the continuous discharge of untreated industrial effluents and municipal sewage. The NGT took cognizance of the matter and directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to take immediate remedial actions. Subsequent hearings revealed that a significant number of industries in the Hindon River basin were non-compliant with pollution norms, exacerbating the river's degradation.