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Police
You can file an FIR (First Information Report) at the nearest police station under Section 277 of the Indian Penal Code against a person or industry that is intentionally contaminating and corrupting the water of a public spring or reservoir.(( Section 277, Indian Penal Code 1860.)) The person who is polluting the water can be punished with jail time and/or fine.
District Magistrate
For immediate action, a person can directly complain to the District Magistrate by an application under Section 133 of Code of Criminal Procedure(( Section 133, Code of Criminal Procedure,1973.)). Under the law, the Magistrate has the power to issue a notice to the person or industry causing the pollution to remove such nuisance or stop the polluting activity.(( Municipal Council, Ratlam v. Vardhi Chand [AIR 1980 SC 1622.]))
State Pollution Control Boards
State Pollution Control Boards are responsible for redressal of water pollution complaints. You can file a complaint by visiting the regional offices of the State Pollution Control Board of the state or on the complaint portal available on its website. Now, grievances can also be communicated to the authorities via social media handles.
States like West Bengal have set up an Integrated Grievance Management system (IGMS)(( West Bengal Pollution Control Board, accessed at: https://www.wbpcb.gov.in/public-grievance-redressal#.)) which lays down a comprehensive process for the filing of such complaints by way of a 24*7 helpline and the West Bengal Paribesh app(( West Bengal Paribesh App (WBPCB), accessed at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.gov.wbpcb.paribeshapp.)). Other states like Uttar Pradesh have introduced an online portal where complaints can be filed by filing a form.(( Public Grievance, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, accessed at: http://www.uppcb.com/public_grievances.htm.))
National Green TribunalCitizens can directly file cases of water pollution with the National Green Tribunal at: https://ngtonline.nic.in/efiling/mainPage.drt. The complaint can be filed as an individual, advocate, a representative of a law firm or NGO or as a representative of the Government of India.
