Sugarmill, dairy firm polluting Ganga;NGT seeks Centre's reply

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today sought the responses of the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea alleging that the Ganga is being polluted due to effluents discharged by sugar mills and a dairy firm.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also issued notices and sought responses of Central Pollution Control Board, UP Pollution Control Board, Simbhaoli Sugar Mills, Gopalji Milk Food and Pvt. Ltd and National Ganga River Basin Authority on the petition for directions to immediately stop release of effluents into the river.
The tribunal listed the matter for November 12.
The petition by UP resident Krishan Kant Singh contends that the stretch of Ganga from Garmukteshwar to Narora is being polluted due to discharge of highly toxic and harmful effluents by the sugar mill as well as the dairy firm.

The petition filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary alleges that the effluents released into the river are not only contaminating the water but also threatening endangered aquatic species like dolphins and turtles.
The petition contends that according to a August 2013 report prepared after testing the waters of the river, the levels of the effluents like solid suspended matter, oil, grease, etc., are way above the permissible norms.
Singh in his petition also alleged that the ground water in the areas surrounding the sugar mills and the dairy firm has also been contaminated due to their discharge.