Stricter measures should be taken on curbing pollution in Ghaggar: ADC, Gurugram

KAITHAL: Officials of various departments of Haryana government participated in a meeting held under the chairmanship of R K Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), on June 27, to discuss the growing pollution of the Ghaggar river since early reports surfaced back in August, 2018. The meeting concluded with various departments agreeing that staunch steps are to be taken in order to curb the increasing rate of river pollution and thus have agreed to send suggestions to the State Pollution Control Board regarding the same.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the state to implement stricter measures by ensuring that the violators contributing to the river’s deteriorating state be appropriately penalising. NGT also directed the states of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh (UT) to constitute a special task force (STF) to clean the river. The Tribunal’s order stated that, “The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 provides for standards for the emission for discharge of pollutants. The findings of the joint inspection report are that values of various parameters such as BOD, TSS, fecal coliform, lead and iron were beyond permissible limits at most of the locations in the concerned.”

In the review meeting held on June 27, the ADC, the appointed nodal officer for checking the flow of dirty water in the Ghaggar, along with Pardeep Ahlawat, City Magistrate, reviewed steps initiated by departments. He said that the NGT had taken note of the problem and all departments should take steps in this direction.