New Delhi, Feb 10 The National Green Tribunal has sought an explanation from the National Mission for Clean Ganga for violating rules by tapping a tributary of the river Ganga in Varanasi.
A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel was hearing a plea filed by advocate Saurabh Tiwari regarding the discharge of domestic sewage and untreated industrial waste in the river.
In an order dated February 5, the bench noted that the state of Uttar Pradesh had filed a copy of the plan for 'Abatement and control of pollution by discharge of sewage and industrial effluent in river Ganga and its tributaries in Varanasi'.
Noting that the plan detailed the status of partially tapped or untapped drains identified in Varanasi and Chandauli meeting the river Ganga and Varuna, the tribunal said that the river Asi had been mentioned as a drain.
It said, "It is not in dispute that the river Asi is a tributary of the river Ganga, and in terms of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, such a tapping cannot be allowed."
"It has been pointed out by counsel for the state that tapping of the river Asi has been permitted by the NMCG. The NMCG is required to furnish an explanation as to how, violating the provisions of the 2016 order, tapping of a tributary of the river Ganga has been permitted," the tribunal said.
It also said that according to the plan, stormwater drains were being tapped as a permanent measure, which was not permissible as it could affect the river ecology.
Regarding the operational sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Varanasi, the tribunal said that as they were receiving the untreated sewage through the tapped stormwater drains, there was "every likelihood" that these had been set up in the floodplain zone of the river Ganga.
It said that the mission would place on record the material examined by it to establish that these STPs were not in the floodplain zone.
The tribunal also directed the state to provide a timeline for 100 per cent connectivity of households in Varanasi with the sewage network.
Granting six weeks to the state and NMCG to provide further progress reports, the green panel posted the matter for further proceedings on April 21.
