Clean Ganga mission notice to 118 local bodies and 764 industries

The National Mission for Clean Ganga has issued a notice to 118 urban local bodies and 764 industries asking them to clean up their act with regards to release of untreated domestic sewage and trade effluents respectively into River Ganga and also submit – in reply to the notice – a detailed action report on controlling and preventing pollution within 15 days. The notice was sent in the backdrop of several directions that have been passed by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal in multiple matters related to pollution in Ganga.

At the heart of these various litigations is the issue of inefficient domestic sewage treatment plants and dysfunctional, effluent treatment plants (ETP'S) and common effluent treatment plants (CETP's) across industrial clusters that are a key source of trade effluents. The 118 urban local bodies and 764 industries sent notices are spread across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Of the total 764 industries sent notice, 687 are located in Uttar Pradesh alone. The list of industries includes some reputed industries such as Britannia, NTPC, ITC, Hindustan Motors, Indian Oil Corporation and Bata.

The NGT, while passing directions on matters related to Ganga pollution have particularly focussed on the functionality of CETP's and ETP's across industries and industrial clusters. In this year, the green court has shut several errant distilleries and tanneries as they were found to be operating without any effluent treatment plants. In fact in one of its orders in January, the NGT warned that it will shut down 700 tanneries in Kanpur if the CETP's are not made effective by upgrading its technology.

The water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation ministry after identifying the 118 towns in need of a pollution management are now also considering the report of consortium of Indian Institute of Technology on Ganga River Basin Management. The IIT report, submitted to the Supreme Court, has pointed out that human activities such as withdrawal of groundwater, generation of urban liquid and solid waste along with trade effluents were affecting the aquatic environment of Ganga.