Allahabad HC pulls up govt officials for tardy pace of Namami Gange project in UP

During the hearing of a PIL the High Court observed that the progress of the Namami Gange project is not upto the mark in the state. The court also pulled up officials from the Central and UP pollution control boards for their lack of sincerity in executing the project.

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): Allahabad Bench of the Lucknow High Court pulled up government officials of Wednesday over the the tardy pace of work regarding Namami Gange project in Uttar Pradesh. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, and Justice Ajit Kumar asked the aforementioned officials to come up with proper homework during the next hearing fixed on September 26.

The High Court while hearing a Public Interest Litigation Petition (PIL), observed that the progress of the Namami Gange project is not upto the mark in the state. The court also pulled up officials from the Central and UP pollution control boards for their lack of sincerity in executing the project.

High Court also questioned officials associated with the Namami Gange project why the report prepared by the experts from IIT Kanpur and BHU about the pollution level in the Ganga river was not furnished before the court. While hearing the PIL on Wednesday, the court also asked the director of the Namami Gange project so far how much money was invested in the project. But the director was unable to come up with a satisfactory answer.

Besides, other officials associated with the project were unable to give a reply to the court about the progress of work done so far in the Namami Gange project. They sought time to come up with the answer.

Read:CAG slams Bihar govt for failing to utilize funds under 'Namami Gange' program

The High Court while expressing concern said that the departments concerned didn't have information about the project and officials are not serious about executing the Ganga cleanliness drive. Besides the court pulled up Water Board and said the department didn't have an environmental expert to oversee the work.

Senior counsel Arun Kumar Gupta informed the High Court that the Ganga river flows through 26 districts in Uttar Pradesh and 35 sewerage treatment plants (STPs) have been constructed for releasing purified water into the river. Out of 35 STPs, three plants are non-functional. Besides, nearly 15 cities in Uttar Pradesh don't have STP. Hence, in these cities of UP untreated water is discharged directly into the Ganga river.

The court has asked officials to furnish information about outfall channels or storm drains discharging impure water into the Ganga river during the next hearing scheduled to be held on September 26. The court has also sought information regarding how many outfall channels are carrying treated water and how many of them are discharging impure water into the river and the status of shifting the Kanpur tannery industry.