Calcutta: The state pollution control board has reported to the National Green Tribunal that Sealdah station, through which around 1.6 million people pass daily, has no effluent-treatment plant and discharges its waste untreated into the civic body's sewerage.

The board prepared the report following an inquiry ordered by the eastern zonal bench of the green tribunal. The bench had ordered the inquiry in January in response to a petition filed by environment activist Subhas Datta.

"I had filed a petition last April about pollution at Howrah station. During the hearing, Justice S.P. Wangdi observed that Sealdah station was no better and suo motu directed the state pollution control board to conduct an inquiry at the station and report to the bench," Datta said on Saturday.

"Sealdah station has no effluent plant. Effluent is directly discharged into CMC sewers...."

"As per present categorisation of industries, the railway loco sheds/diesel sheds having waste water generation more than 100 KLD (kilolitre a day), restaurants, laundry are coming under the purview of pollution control board and require to obtain consent to establish/consent to operate from the state board."

Sources said Sealdah station had no such clearances.

"The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 states that no industry - rail is treated as industry - can release toxic effluent without appropriate treatment," said Arunava Majumdar, a waste water expert and professor at Jadavpur University.

"We are yet to receive any report. The railways will definitely do whatever the green tribunal asks us to do," Ravi Mahapatra, the chief public relations officer of Eastern Railway said.