JODHPUR, May 31 -- Taking serious note of continued pollution and environmental violations in Bhilwara's Gandhi Sagar Talab, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the municipal commissioner of Bhilwara and other responsible officers to personally file affidavits explaining compliance with the orders of the tribunal and Supreme Court. The tribunal also made it clear that these officials must participate in the next hearing through video conferencing. The Central Zone Bench, comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Afroz Ahmad, passed the directions after reviewing a detailed report submitted by a court-appointed committee. The report painted a grim picture of the state of the lake, revealing that drains leading to the lake remain choked with garbage and plastic waste, no regular cleaning is being carried out, and approximately 1.0-1.5 MLD of untreated sewage water continues to flow into the lake. The tribunal noted that Bhilwara city generates nearly 60 MLD of sewage daily, yet only a 10 MLD sewage treatment plant is operational. The NGT also observed that encroachments around the lake have not been fully removed and that only one of the four installed floating aeration fountains was working at the time of inspection. Large quantities of plastic and solid waste were found floating at the inlet and in stagnant corners of the lake. These findings, the tribunal noted, indicate ongoing violations of environmental laws, despite binding orders from both the tribunal and the Supreme Court. Expressing its deep dissatisfaction, the Tribunal said: "Planning has to be to resolve the problem without any further delay, in the shortest possible time. Whatever timeline is laid down, it should not be breached. If breached, adverse consequences for such failures must follow on the designated accountable officers instead of loose-ended processes." The tribunal also referred to the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti vs. Union of India, reiterating that simply setting up STPs was not enough and that their regular monitoring, maintenance, and performance evaluation were critical. The SC warned that untreated sewage polluting rivers and lakes threatens not just environment but very survival of populations and biodiversity. Despite warnings, NGT found that Bhilwara authorities had not provided a credible response on compliance. Accordingly, it has directed the municipal commissioner and officials concerned to submit sworn affidavits before the next hearing and to appear virtually before the tribunal on July 28....