Will subject entire Ganga cleaning project to CBI, warns NGT

Irked over wastage of funds for cleaning of Ganga in western Uttar Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal today warned it could order a CBI enquiry into all projects relating to the rejuvenation of the river.
"You (authorities) spend money on projects without even conducting field inspection, analysis of the effluents, sewage in the drains and quantum. Chief Engineer of UP Jal Nigam is unable to answer our questions on the ground that he sits in Lucknow and is not familiar with situation at the site. You (authorities) people are great. We will subject the entire Ganga cleaning project to CBI enquiry," a bench headed by NGT chief Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The observations came as NGT was dealing with monitoring of the setting up of two sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Garhmukteshwar and Brijghat for treating effluents from Garh drain, which joins Ganga.
The green panel said it would mainly deal with the issue of establishment of STPs with respect to 30 drains joining Ganga in segment B of phase-I, which may resolve the problem of industrial pollution at Kanpur and Unnao and waste emananting from textile, tannery, paper, distillery units.
The tribunal also issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) against an Executive Officer of the Garhmukteshwar Nagar Palika Parishad for failing to appear before it and not providing information on industries in the area. The NBW was later cancelled after the officer appeared before it and apologised before the bench.

The hearing will continue tomorrow.
On the last date of hearing, it had earlier set up a committee to inspect the status of two sewage treatment plants (STP) in Garhmukteshwar and Brijghat.
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.