NGT calls officials’ meeting on Ganga pollution

New Delhi, November 24

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today decided to hold a meeting with officials of the Uttarakhand Government on Thursday to deliberate on a strategy to make the Ganga pollution-free.

“Let the Secretary (Urban Development), Secretary (Water Supply), Secretary (Tourism), Secretary (Environment) and Member Secretary of the authorities concerned be present on November 26, in the chamber of the chairperson,” a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar said.

The NGT, which was directed by the Supreme Court to act against industrial units polluting the Ganga, passed the order after advocate MC Mehta, who has filed the petition for the cleaning of the Ganga, said most units operating from Gomukh to Haridwar were operating without obtaining an NoC.

However, the state counsel had denied the charge saying the state was “least polluting” and no hotel, ashram, dharamshala was running without an NoC.

During the hearing, the bench also enquired about action taken by the state government against the polluting units.

The NGT had said it intended to take the issue of the rejuvenation of the Ganga stage-wise to clean up the 2,500-km stretch of the river spanning several northern and eastern states.

The NGT had said the plan would comprise three phases and the first phase would relate to pollution in the river from the originating point at Gomukh to Kanpur.

“Right from Gaumukh, from where the Bhagirathi originates, to upstream Rishikesh, there is hardly any industrial pollution but a lot of sewage is discharged into the Ganga. We will prohibit even the smallest house from releasing sewage in the river and not a single house will be granted water and electricity connections unless they have a septic or sewage tank. We will ensure there is total prohibition on the discharge of sewage. Every public authority will ensure that there is collection of sewage from the septic tank and brought to the nearest STP,” the bench had said.

Stressing the need to clean ghats in Haridwar, the NGT had asked the Uttarakhand Government to ensure that there is no commercial activity on the ghats in Haridwar. — PTI