NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttarakhand chief secretary to look into a complaint alleging discharge of untreated waste into the river Ganga in Rishikesh and ensure adequate arrangements for setting up requisite sewage treatment plants in the state.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted the submission of the petitioner that agents of the municipal corporation were taking bath and washing vehicles using the tap installed outside a toilet complex on the banks of the river Ganga in Rishikesh.
"We direct the chief secretary of Uttarakhand to look into the matter and take remedial action in accordance with law,'' the bench said.
The tribunal's order came on a plea seeking execution of the NGT's January 3, 2022 order directing the Uttarakhand government to ensure that no untreated waste is discharged into the river Ganga or its tributary.
The NGT had earlier said that there has to be an awareness programme as well as a monitoring cell created at each municipal level to ensure that no untreated waste is discharged into the river.
"All the Ganga bank towns and villages need to follow septage protocols as well as norms applicable to the flood protection zones. Evacuation from septic tanks must be linked to the pre-identified STPs," it had said.
The directions came while disposing of a plea filed by Vipin Nayyar against construction activities in the flood plain zone of the river Ganga.
The plea contended that the Rishikesh Municipal Corporation is constructing toilets on the flood plain zone illegally and discharging untreated waste therefrom in the Ganga.
No STP has been constructed to treat the waste, the plea said.
The tribunal had directed that the arrangement in question should be interim and not treated as a precedent and shifted to an appropriate location, where construction is legally allowed.
"Till alternative arrangement is made, septic tanks be regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure that no untreated sewage is discharged into the river or in the open," the NGT had said.
NGT has also sought a report on a plea alleging unregulated extraction of water from the Mussoorie Lake by private hotels in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said unregulated withdrawal of water from the lake can certainly affect the natural water cycle and environmental functions performed by it.
"We have considered the matter. Unregulated withdrawal of water from the lake can certainly affect natural water cycle and environmental functions performed by the Lake, recharge of ground water aquifer habitat to aquatic and semi aquatic plants and animals, quality of water," the bench also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Arun Kumar Tyagi, said.
"Thus, it appears to be necessary to ascertain factual position and remedial action taken by the statutory regulators," it said.
The tribunal constituted a committee comprising officials of Central Pollution Control Board, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, Dehradun District Magistrate and State Wetland Authority.
The factual and action taken report may be filed with the tribunal within two months by e-mail, it said.
The matter is listed for next hearing on July 25.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Kartik Sharma against unregulated withdrawal of water from Mussoorie Lake by Hotel Jaypee Residency in Mussoorie and others.