Ban orders must be welcomed, accepted by all, says Vipra

Sandeep Rawat

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Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 28

Vipra Trivedi, MC Chief Town Officer (CTO), today said the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banning polythene material at Har-Ki-Pauri as well as other aspects related to Ganga rejuvenation were being adhered to. But to make sure they get implemented at the ground level, support of people was imperative.

Trivedi said all were to be blamed for making the holy Ganga polluted. Despite giving it motherly and deity status, we had been putting sewer, filth, garbage, waste, pollutants and industrial effluents in it.

Appreciating the seriousness of the NGT, she urged traders, teerth purohits, industrialists and religious bodies to forget their personal and commercial gains and instead work in tandem with the NGT, administration, civic body, Ganga Pollution Control Board and other nodal agencies to ensure that the sacred river’s sanctity got restored.

“The Ganga river is the lifeline of Haridwar, where more than 60 per cent people depend upon the river for their livelihood. But when it comes to banning polythene material, a section of traders and religious bodies oppose it. Some traders say the Ganga is polluted in the upper regions of the state itself or in the lower regions of Uttar Pradesh-Bihar-West Bengal. By this, they are trying to divert the attention of the NGT and the clean Ganga initiative. Instead, they should ask themselves are they not contributing in polluting the river. Responsibility is needed but it is lacking in those opposing the ban. The NGT cannot take on everything at once. In fact, the NGT has put the Kanpur region on its priority list as the Ganga is polluted more there, so passing the buck won’t do any good,” she remarked.

Citing the steps being taken by the MC, the CTO pointed out that she had been carrying out impromptu raids on traders and vendors selling polythene material, carry bags or canes at Har-Ki-Pauri and in the adjacent markets.

Increasing capacities of sewerage treatment plants was also on the anvil, while mass awareness drives were being carried out. Also earmarking and monitoring sewerage being put directly in the Ganga by ashrams, dharamshalas and hotels was also being done by the civic body, Trivedi added.