Ganga's water quality in UP deteriorating due to discharge of sewage: NGT

NGT said according to the report from Uttar Pradesh, there was a gap of 128 million litres per day (MLD) in sewage treatment in Prayagraj district

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the water quality in the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh is deteriorating because of the discharge of sewage or sullage into the river.

Earlier, while considering the prevention and control of pollution in the Ganga, the green body sought compliance reports from various states, including Uttar Pradesh.

In an order dated November 6, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said according to the report from Uttar Pradesh, there was a gap of 128 million litres per day (MLD) in sewage treatment in Prayagraj district.

Also, 25 untapped drains discharged untreated sewage into the Ganga in the district and 15 untapped drains discharged the sullage into the Yamuna, the bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said.

"We find that out of the 326 drains disclosed in the report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dated October 22, 247 drains are untapped (in the state) and discharging 3,513.16 MLD of waste water into the river Ganga and its tributaries," the tribunal said.

Expressing dissatisfaction, it directed the state's chief secretary to file an affidavit disclosing the information regarding each drain across different districts, the sewage generated from those, the sewage treatment plants (STP) to which those were proposed to be connected and the timeline for making the STPs functional.

"The affidavit will also disclose the short-term measures that will be adopted to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage in the river in respect of each of the districts and drain till STPs are made fully functional and 100 per cent household connectivity is achieved," the bench said.

It also took note of the CPCB report disclosing the status of 41 STPs across 16 Ganga-front towns, which said six plants are non-operational and of the 35 operational STPs, only one complied with the rules.

"We also find that the water quality monitored at 41 locations clearly discloses that faecal coliform (FC) exceeds the most probable number (MPN) of 500/100 ml at 16 locations and is more than 2,500 MPN/100 ml at 17 locations. Thus, it clearly discloses the fact that the water quality is deteriorating on account of the discharge of sewage or sullage into the river Ganga," the tribunal said.

According to the CPCB, the desirable level of faecal coliform, which is the microbes from the excreta of humans and animals, is MPN of 500/100 ml.

The tribunal also directed the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh to disclose the steps taken or proposed for making the STPs functional and to ensure that all the plants comply with the specified norms.

The affidavit has to be filed within four weeks, it said.

The matter has been posted on January 20 for further proceedings.