Abiding by the National Green Tribunal’s orders, some more polluting industrial units at Bijnor and Moradabad have been shut down.
The bench, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, is hearing the long-running case regarding the implementation of Ganga Action Plans 1 & 2, in a PIL filed by MC Mehta.
On May 12, the counsel for a pharmaceutical company, on which the bench had imposed cost, presented its case. The cost will be collected by the Central Pollution Control Board.
All the stakeholders agreed that the Nakatiya Drain has to be dealt with independently. This drain has a length of 100 km (this was originally a river, but has now turned into a drain). However, the distance from Bareilly to Ramganga (a major tributary of the Ganga) is 59 km. That part is of prime concern.
The drain has two major industries on its banks. One is the Ram and Shyam Paper Mills, which has been directed to treat its effluent and install pollution check machinery. If it fails in compliance, it will be shut down.
The other industry is Maria Agro industry, stated to be a non-polluting industry. This will also be subjected to a joint inspection by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board.
The matter has been adjourned for Monday (May 15).
—India Legal Bureau