NGT flags lack of universally acceptable data on drains

Flagging the absence of correct and universally acceptable data on drains polluting the Ganga, the National Green Tribunal said today each authority involved in the river cleaning process comes up with its own figures that are different from others, and directed the government and CPCB to submit a common report.
The green panel said that it is "unfortunate" that various authorities involved in Ganga rejuvenation have not been able to provide the tribunal the exact number of drains polluting the river between Haridwar to Unnao, their load and quality of effluent released in the river till date.
"Under the orders of the tribunal, a team led by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) had provided some data in respect of drains. However, Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam then pointed out that the joint inspection team has omitted to take note of some drains which were falling in Segment-B of Phase-I...This case has been on board for quite sometime and we find that each authority produces its own data...

"Joint inspection team, however, has conducted physical inspection and collected data of number of drains, load and the effluent quality. This again is variable. It is necessary for the tribunal to have correct and verified data before it can proceed to direct the methods to be adopted for treatment of polluted drains," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
It directed the joint inspection team to sit down with senior officers of CPCB, UP Pollution Control Board, UP Jal Nigam and the Ministry of Water Resources and submit "commonly compiled" statement with respect to drains, quality of effluent and reasons for differentiation of data within a week.

On October 19, the NGT had constituted a joint inspection team of Member Secretary of CPCB, chief engineer of UP Jal Nigam, senior environmental officer from UPPCB (Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board) and a representative from National Mission for Clean Ganga to collect information on the quantum and quality of waste being released into the river.

During the last hearing, it had slammed Uttar Pradesh government and its agencies over cleaning of the Ganga and asked them to submit a detailed plan on how they intend to spend money allotted by the Centre under the "Namami Gange" programme.
While UPPCB had yesterday informed the tribunal that there are 6,385 industries, out of which 1,072 are "seriously polluting", CPCB gave an old figure of only 700 industries along the stretch.

Advocate M C Mehta, who has filed a petition for cleaning of the river, had countered the claims of these agencies and said there are 1.47 lakh industrial units on this stretch.
The green panel has divided the work of cleaning the river into five segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Unnao (segment B of Phase-I), Unnao to the border of Uttar Pradesh, UP border to the border of Jharkhand and from there to the Bay of Bengal.
The Centre has allotted over Rs 2,000 crore under the Prime Minister's ambitious 'Namami Gange' project for the purpose of cleaning the river.

On October 19 last year, the NGT had constituted a joint inspection team comprising then member secretary of CPCB, the chief engineer of the UP Jal Nigam, a senior environmental officer from UPPCB and a representative from NMCG to collect information on the quantum and quality of waste being released into the river.