Offerings in rivers: NGT allows DPCC, UPPCB to file responses in 4 weeks

The National Green Tribunal has allowed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to file within four weeks their responses regarding throwing worship offerings in rivers Ganga and Yamuna.

The tribunal was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report regarding pollution in the two rivers because of the throwing of flowers and garlands offered in puja (worship) in polythene bags in their ghats.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said that DPCCs counsel failed to point out the committee's response on the issue.

The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, noted that the counsel's submissions about submitting "a fresh proper response" covering the issue within four weeks.

In an order passed on March 18, the bench noted that there was a similar plea of filing its response within four weeks from the UPPCBs counsel.

Allowing it, the bench posted the matter on July 3 for further proceedings.