The National Green Tribunal has sought a fresh report from Uttarakhand, noting that some “basic details” regarding the Ganga’s pollution were “missing” in the report from the state’s 13 districts through which the river or its tributaries flow.
The green panel, which was hearing a matter regarding the prevention and control of pollution in the Ganga, also directed the districts concerned in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal to mention the relevant details.
These include information on the disposal of municipal solid waste, construction or demolition waste and biomedical waste, discharge of sewage and industrial effluent, and mining and regulation of floodplain zones, the tribunal said.
The green panel had earlier sought reports on the river’s pollution from each district across the various states where Ganga or its tributaries flow.
A bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that the tribunal had sought a report regarding the river from Uttarakhand’s 13 district collectors, who are the ex-offico chairperson of District Ganga Protection Committees.
The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, said none of the districts disclosed the “basic information” regarding the river’s pollution. In an order dated November 24, it said “missing” details have to be mentioned for each district. Apart from Uttarakhand, these details are also required from the other districts of the states through which the river or its
tributaries flow.