Haridwar nullahs found to be discharging waste into Ganga

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 17

The work on tapping nullahs so that they do not flow into the Ganga continues to be carried in only on paper and in a slipshod manner in Haridwar. This was discovered by the district authorities when they undertook an on the spot inspection of the work.

On paper, the Irrigation Department had claimed that it had treated most of the nullahs by diverting their flow but when District Magistrate Deepak Rawat undertook an inspection he discovered that none of the nullahs had been channelised.

“I have recommended action against the officials of the Irrigation and Peyjal Nigam, who were entrusted with the task of tapping the nullahs,” said Rawat.

Ever since the work began on the Namami Ganga project several nullahs in Haridwar were found to be flowing directly into the river. So the Peyjal Nigam and Department of irrigation were entrusted with the task of treating them.

A report prepared by Comptroller Auditor General (CAG ) in its 2017 report had said that around 64 nullahs (drains) continue to discharge waste in the Ganga in Uttarakhand putting a big question mark on the efforts underway for keeping the river Ganga clean under the Namami Ganga Project. It had also pointed out that in Haridwar and Rishikesh 54.2 mld of untreated sewage was also flowing in the river.

In early February the state government had claimed that the water quality of the river had improved considerably.

Significantly, the Central government is providing funds for the project, a flagship initiative for PM Modi’s government National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

Claims untrue, action recommended 

• The Irrigation Department had claimed that it had treated most of the nullahs by diverting their flow
• However, when District Magistrate Deepak Rawat undertook an inspection he discovered that none of the nullahs had been channelised.
• “I have recommended action against the officials of the Irrigation and Peyjal Nigam”, said Rawat.