Says work done not adequate, regular monitoring required

NEW DELHI (TIP): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday, July 19, expressed dissatisfaction over the cleaning up of Ganga and said the situation was extraordinarily bad and hardly anything effective had been done to clean it.

A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice AK Goel said despite claims by the authorities, the work done on the ground for Ganga rejuvenation was not adequate and regular monitoring was required to improve the situation.

The Green panel ordered survey to seek views of common man about what he feels on ground about the pollution in Ganga and said the feedback could be given through e-mail of the authorities concerned. The Bench also comprised Justices Jawad Rahim and RS Rathore, said.

The NGT had earlier rapped the National Mission for Clean Ganga for not filing a report on the steps taken by the Centre and the UP and Uttarakhand governments to clean the river in the stretch between Gomukh and Unnao.

The NGT had passed directions to rejuvenate Ganga, declaring ‘No Development Zone’ an area of 100 meters from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 meters from it.

Ganga Action Plan

Launched in two phases by then PM Rajiv Gandhi on Jan 14, 1986, to free Ganga of pollution, domestic sewage and industrial chemical wastes. In first phase, it covered 25 towns in 3 states; in second, 59 towns in 5 states

River Basin Authority

Established on February 20, 2009 by the UPA government for ensuring effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river by adopting a river basin approach

Namami Gange

Mission set up by the Narendra Modi govt in 2014 to accomplish twin objectives: abatement of pollution, river rejuvenation

(With inputs from PTI)