The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board has informed the Allahabad High Court that the water of the river Ganga is not fit for drinking.
The Division Bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Gupta, Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar passed this order on January 28 while hearing a PIL filed by Re Ganga Pollution.
The affidavit filed by the Pollution Control Board states that the Ganges water is not drinkable although it can be bathed in. It lists that 17 drains fall into the Ganga and 25 streams in the Yamuna.
While the affidavit filed by the Prayagraj District Magistrate states that no drain is falling directly into the Ganges and Yamuna without further research.
The Court’s attention was drawn to the not following of instructions given to Central government to keep a minimum 50 percent water flow in the Ganges in 2011 and said the Ganga Basin Authority is considering a project to protect the basin. The Court has sought a report from the Central government in this regard.
The submission was made in a suo motu case registered by the High Court in 2006, to protect and restore the river.
A. K. Gupta, Amicus Curiae and Advocate for the Petitioners, said that the disclosures made in these affidavit are not correct. Untreated water of various drains are being directly flown in two rivers. As a result, the water has changed colour. It is pointed out that even as per affidavit filed before this Court, number of nalas are still untapped despite several directions by this Court from time to time that all nalas be connected through STPs in a phased manner.
Among other things, the Court has permitted Amicus Curiae A.K. Gupta along with Advocates appearing for government to personally visit the STPs and other discharge points and Ghats, in order to apprise themselves of current status relating to working of STPs and other process by which drain and sewerage water is being allegedly treated.
The District Magistrate Prayagraj submitted that all STPs are functional and all discharge parameters are within range prescribed by the Central government.
The Municipal Commissioner of Prayagraj informed the bench that three private agencies have been appointed for treatment of drain discharge through bioremediation. Further, six drains are being treated by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute.
The amicus however opposed these submissions and alleged that the disclosures made in the affidavits filed by the authorities are not correct. He sought time to bring on record photographs and other evidence to show that untreated water is still being flown into two rivers and even water of nalas which are connected to STPs is overflowing as the STPs are of under capacity.
The Court has granted liberty to the petitioner to bring on record evidence to show that STPs are working or not and whether untreated water, as alleged by them, is being discharged in rivers Ganga and Yamuna directly.
The State Government shall state on affidavit in how much time it proposes to connect the remaining drains to STPs. The Central government shall file affidavit disclosing whether IIT Consortium has submitted any report in respect of the work entrusted to it for the management of Ganga River Basin and in case, report has been submitted, the same shall be brought on record, the Court ordered.
The Municipal Commissioner, Nagar Nigam, Prayagraj, in his affidavit shall also disclose details of fine imposed till date for violation of the notification dated July 15, 2018 as well as number of prosecutions launched so far.
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The Court direct that the Nagar Nigam, Prayagraj and Magh Mela authority shall ensure rigorous enforcement of the notification banning plastic bags and other disposables of thickness less than 50 microns within their territorial limits and that no plastic waste is littered on the ghats and banks of two rivers.
The matter is now listed for consideration of February 4.