Ganga pollution: High Court summons top official

ALLAHABAD: Expressing unhappiness over discharge of untreated sewage from tanneries into river Ganga despite its repeated orders to check it, the Allahabad High Court today summoned principal secretary of UP Urban Development department along with chief of the Jal Nigam.

A division bench comprising justices Ashok Bhushan and Arun Tandon, which passed the order while hearing a PIL regarding the pollution in river Ganga, directed the officials to appear in person on September 30.

The court noted with dissatisfaction that untreated sewage was being discharged into the river notwithstanding "repeated orders" for taking steps to put a check on the same.

Earlier, the court was informed by the Central Pollution Control Board that B.O. D (biochemical oxygen demand) was found to be many times higher than acceptable limits at Jajmau in Kanpur, mainly on account of non-functioning sewage treatment plants as untreated water was being discharged directly into the river.