Seeking what action was taken from the National Ganga Council (NGC) on sewage waste being discharged into Ganga, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Aadesh Kumar Goel said the quality of water in Ganga has to be as per norms. Quality of water has to be maintained as the holy water is used not only used for bathing but also to drink before prayers or rituals, the bench said.
National Ganga Council has been directed to file an action report before October 14. The matter will also be heard on October 14.
The NGT said that even after decades of monitoring, nearly 50 per cent of untreated sewage and substantial industrial effluents are continuing to be discharged in Ganga.
"Instead of indefinitely continuing the proceedings without success, as has happened in the last 37 years, we suggest that the Member Secretary, NGC i.e. DG, NMCG may place the agenda of reviewing the existing mechanism for executing the work of setting up and maintaining requisite treatment systems to ensure prevention of pollution of Ganga in the next meeting of the NGC, which is the highest authority under the 2016 Ganga Order, preferably within one month or as early as possible," it said.
The NGT said in view of the disappointing factual position, a paradigm shift in execution and monitoring appears to be necessary, news agency PTI reported.
The green tribunal also said that execution by state authorities is “not adequate, too slow and lacking ownership".
"In dealing with such a long pending challenge, the executing agency has to be proactive and effective, with simpler and flexible procedures and timelines being sacrosanct. There has to be zero tolerance to further delay. Working has to be goal oriented with defined accountability, followed by strict consequences for defaults. It may not be advisable to fix loose and convenient distant timelines with no consequences for breach. At the moment the reverse is happening," it observed.
"None is accountable for breaching the timelines in the last four decades. Blame is shifted from one authority to another. In dealing with Ganga pollution, there has to be a change in the attitude of those who have to execute remedial measures. Unless such change takes place, no purpose is achieved in the ritual of monitoring by this Tribunal and direction of the Supreme Court for effective monitoring is defeated," the bench said.
The NGT said no progress has been made in preventing the discharge of sewage and trade effluents into the river.
"Either the necessary treatment systems are yet to be set up at several locations or STPs/treatment facilities established are not fully functional. There is unacceptable and unchecked delay with no accountability. Substantial funds are provided by the NMCG without expected results. Reasons for not achieving results may be due to tardy processes or lack of effective credible mechanisms. Timelines have kept changing conveniently since decades. Even now there is no commitment for any fixed timeline in future, to the great and irreversible detriment of Ganga," the bench said.
(With agency inputs)
