NGT orders de-sealing of hotel in Haridwar

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered de-sealing of a Haridwar-based hotel, which was shut for allegedly polluting river Ganga, after Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board informed that it was complying with the pollution norms.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, however, restrained the hotel from discharging any effluent or sewage untreated or otherwise into the sewer connection.
During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the board told the tribunal that Park Prime Hotel has got its own sewage treatment plant (STP) and is located at a reasonable distance from river Ganga.
"In view of the statement made, we allow this application and direct the seal of the hotel be removed. The hotel be permitted to carry on its business subject to the conditions," the bench said.

It directed the hotel to obtain requisite permission from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) within a month.
"In the event the permission is not taken, the CGWA and Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board shall take action in accordance with law," it said.

"The hotel is restrained from discharging any effluent or sewage untreated or otherwise into the sewer connection. The effluent from the STP shall be recycled and used," the bench said.
The green panel had earlier divided the cleaning work of Ganga into different segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.

On December 11, last year, the NGT had imposed a complete ban on use of plastic of any kind from Gomukh to Haridwar along river Ganga with effect from February 1 while slapping a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day on erring hotels, dharamshalas and ashrams spewing waste into the river.