Patna: The principal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the secretary, department of environment & forest, Bihar, asking it to file an affidavit in a case pertaining to serious pollution in Ganga river, and apprise it about the steps taken to curb discharge of untreated wastewater in the river.
Earlier, the tribunal had taken serious exception to the National Mission for Clean Ganga’s (NMCG) dilly-dallying on the matter and wondered why it refrained from taking strong and effective action to remediate such a situation, which had turned the river unsafe even for bathing.
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A bench comprising NGT chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Senthil Vel in its order on November 25 observed that the NMCG was expected to take effective steps instead of merely indulging in writing letters and seeking responses by holding the meetings.
The bench expressed its displeasure over the affidavit filed by the executive director (technical), NMCG, who listed the activities and communications issued to various agencies, including the urban development and housing department (UDHD), Bihar, to improve the conditions and said the reply was not in conformity with the directions issued on August 12, 2024.
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The NGT had taken suo moto cognizance of a media report published in the Hindustan Times, ‘Ganga water unsafe even for bathing, says Bihar govt report on river pollution’ and initiated a case in the matter. The report, quoting the Bihar State Pollution Control Board’s finding, mentioned that samples of Ganga water carried 92,000 MPN/100ml faecal coliform bacteria (FCB) across its stretch from Buxar to Bhagalpur, barring Lakhisarai, where FCB count was recorded at 28,000. Water carrying such a heavy FCB, according to doctors, is not safe for bathing.
The bench said that even in that reply, the NMCG admitted that the estimated sewage generation in the state is 1,100 million litre per day (MLD) and completed sewage treatment plants (STPs) are only for 343 MLD. There is a gap of more than 750 MLD, and this 750 MLD untreated sewage is directly flowing into the river. Further, as per the NMCG report, of 8 STPs, 6 STPs are non-compliant.
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In its order, the NGT noted that under clause 41 of River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order 2016, NMCG has been conferred with the wide powers for rejuvenation, protection and management of River Ganga. “The power includes issuing directions to any person or authority, as it may consider necessary, for proper or prompt execution of the projects or cancel such projects or stop release of funds or direct refund of amount already released and assign the same to any other person or authority or Board or Corporation for prompt execution thereof,” said the order.
That apart, NMCG has the power to issue directions under Section 5 of the Act and it is empowered to evolve appropriate mechanisms for implementation of its decisions. The tribunal also directed the NMCG to file a fresh affidavit in the light of the latest order.
Secretary, department of environment, forest and climate change, Bihar, Bandana Preyashi, said that the department would file an appropriate reply to the tribunal a week ahead the next date of hearing, fixed for March 18.
