NGT seeks report on River Ganga pollution in Bihar, Jharkhand from district magistrates

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has sought a report within eight weeks on the issue of pollution in Ganga river from the district magistrates of 38 districts in Bihar and four districts in Jharkhand through which the river and its tributaries were flowing.  The tribunal was hearing a matter regarding the prevention of pollution in the river.

A bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said the tribunal's order dated August 28 had underlined that the issue relating to prevention and control of pollution in the River Ganga will be taken up for the entire stretch of the river, covering each state, city and district.

The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel said in an order passed on September 5, the tribunal had noted the details of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, and specifically the role of the District Ganga Protection Committees.

In an order passed on Monday, it noted the key issues regarding the river in the state of Bihar included groundwater contamination, sewage discharge, illegal sand and stone mining, floodplain encroachment, threat to aquatic species, change in the river's original course and pollution by industries, municipal solid waste, biomedical waste and hazardous waste.

The bench also noted the issues pertaining to the river in Jharkhand, such as illegal mining, industrial pollution, sewage discharge, mine water discharge, disposal of fly ash, discharge of effluents from coal washeries and industrial plants, over-exploited groundwater and lack of sufficient numbers of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP's) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STP's).

“...We direct the district magistrate of all the 38 districts in the State of Bihar and 4 districts in the State of Jharkhand through which river Ganga and its tributaries are flowing to file a report on the issues noted above and in respect of steps which have been taken by the District Ganga Protection Committee for prevention and control of pollution in river Ganga in their respective areas,” the tribunal said.  It said the report had to be filed within eight weeks.

The green panel noted that during the proceedings the Executive Director of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) had volunteered to furnish state, district and city-wise information regarding the key issues concerning the pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries.

“Let the same be furnished within eight weeks,” the tribunal said.  The matter has been listed on December 5 for further proceedings.