NGT Seeks Responses on Ganga Pollution Mitigation Efforts in Varanasi and Chandauli

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently sought responses from the Commissioner of Varanasi Municipal Corporation and the District Panchayat Raj Officer of Chandauli concerning the actions they have taken to mitigate pollution in the Ganga river.

A bench of Chairperson and judicial member Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal, and expert member Professor A Senthil Veil has issued a notice to these two authorities.

The order comes in response to a letter petition that raised concerns about the discharge of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater into the Ganga river in Varanasi. On May 24, 2022, the Tribunal had established a committee with the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) as the nodal agency, instructing them to provide recommendations for reducing pollution in the river.

The committee has put forward several recommendations to address the issue. Firstly, it has proposed the construction of a dedicated drain for discharging industrial effluents generated from the Ramnagar industrial area, while also stressing the need for strict compliance from the industries in the region. Furthermore, the committee has suggested the phased implementation of wastewater reuse or recycling once it has been treated.

Additionally, the committee has advised the installation of adequate sewage treatment plants (STPs) to treat domestic sewage generated from the multimodal terminal. Once treated, the effluents can be repurposed for activities such as gardening, irrigation, or dust suppression.

In addition to these suggestions, the committee has recommended that the District Panchayati Raj Officer of Chandauli develop a faecal sludge & septage management system for treating municipal sewage generated from habitations near the Ghuraha drain. This treatment can be carried out either through a faecal sludge treatment plant or by co-processing at nearby STPs in Ramnagar or Ramna, Varanasi.

In light of these recommendations, the NGT has issued notices to the authorities in Varanasi and Chandauli, requesting them to demonstrate the actions they have taken in response to these recommendations.

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on October 16, 2023.