NGT seeks report on Ganga pollution in West Bengal

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has sought reports from the district magistrates of 10 West Bengal districts, across which the Ganga and its tributaries flow, on pollution caused due to discharge of sewage and industrial effluents. The NGT has also sought information about the remedial action taken by the authorities.

The green tribunal was hearing a matter related to prevention and control of pollution of the Ganga in West Bengal, where its is also known as Bhagirathi or Hooghly.

"Let notice be issued to the District Ganga Protection Committees concerned in West Bengal through their Ex-Officio Chairman (District Magistrates) for submitting a report," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in a recent order.

The bench, also comprising judicial members Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member A Senthil Vel, identified the discharge of untreated sewage, industrial effluents, hazardous waste and biomedical waste into the river, besides encroachment of the floodplains and sand mining as the key reasons for the pollution of the river in the state.

"Hence, at this stage, we direct the District Magistrates of all the districts (mainstream and tributaries) from where the mainstream of river Ganga and its tributaries flow in West Bengal to submit their own separate reports on the issues in respect of steps which have been taken by the committees for prevention and control of pollution of river Ganga in their respective areas," the bench said.

The matter has been listed for further proceedings on December 6.

On August 28 this year, the tribunal had said it will take up the issue of prevention and control of pollution in the Ganga in its entire stretch covering each state, city and district.