Ganga: NGT appoints committee to probe UP Jal Nigam project

A day after it ordered CBI enquiry into execution of Ganga cleaning project in western Uttar Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal today set up a committee to inspect the status of two sewage treatment plants (STP) in Garhmukteshwar.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar constituted the committee comprising advocate Ritwick Dutta, who is also the local commisioner, Director from Ministry of Water Resources and a scientist from Central Pollution Control Board.
The CBI enquiry was ordered after it noted that Rs 31.82 crore was spent on two STPs and a 58-km long sewerage line project without due analysis and verification of the actual pollution load in the Garh drain and Brijghat drain.

The NGT asked the panel to inspect Garhmukteshwar and Brij Ghat areas tomorrow and inform it about the status of the two STPs of capacity 3 and 6 million litres per day (MLD).
"The committee shall report to the tribunal on whether the 58 km of the sewage line which has been laid down is operational or not. It shall also state about quantity of discharge in the drains and status of ground water in the area," the bench said.
The tribunal said the committee would inspect surrounding area and also find out whether there are any industries in the area.

"The Local Commissioner shall be provided police protection and all help shall be rendered by the government. The Superintendent of police and District Magistrate shall be personally responsible for carring out the directions of the tribunal," the bench said.
NGT had earlier slammed the state Jal Nigam over building the STP on drains joining Ganga without conducting any survey and said it had wasted Rs 1500 crore since 1987 and still not cleaned "even a single drop" of the river.