Pollution in Ganga: NGT urges UP Jal Nigam to complete sewer work expeditiously

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in order to ensure that no untreated water is discharged into the Ganga, has urged UP Jal Nigam to expeditiously complete the work of sewer connectivity to households at Narora town in Bulandshahr district. The Jal Nigam was slammed by the NGT over Narora’s non-functional sewage treatment plant and the dumping of untreated sewage in a pond adjacent to the river.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that UP Jal Nigam must fulfill its obligations and cannot complain that the contractor was at fault. The work of sewer connectivity to households be completed expeditiously which may be reviewed by the Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Uttar Pradesh.

It said the Jal Nigam is held responsible for paying Rs 5 lakh for their default that can be deposited with the state pollution control board within one month to be spent for environmental restoration.

The NGT was scrutinizing a report submitted by a oversight committee headed by former high court judge which said the Jal Nigam chief engineer had notified it that the Naraura Project was sanctioned in 2015 and as per the project, it was suggested that treated water should be discharged into the Ganga River. 

“In 2018, the sewage treatment plant was set up but was made operational from February 2. According to Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board’s (UPPCB’s) inspection report, Naraura STP ‘s capacity is of 4 MLD (million liters per day), but the actual total consumption is 2 MLD. Despite having excess capacity, 5 MLD of untreated sewage are still being discharged through drains in the river Ganga,” the committee said.

The tribunal heard a plea filed by Nodai Wagar village residents in Narora city alleging the STP unit was discharging untreated wastewater in the Ganga. There was no pipeline to discharge treated effluent, the plea said.