Polluted rivers in Western Uttar Pradesh: NGT seeks Centre's response

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal today sought a response from the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on a plea seeking directions to prevent pollution and contamination of water in rivers of Western UP.

A bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, issued the notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the Centre Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Uttar Pradesh government and others.

The matter is fixed for next hearing on December 17. "Issue notices to the respondents, " the bench said. It also observed that it is the duty of the Uttar Pradesh government to provide drinking water to the people.

The bench asked UP government to look into the issue and file a status report on the issue of contamination of water.

The Tribunal's order came over a plea by NGO Jai Hind which has alleged that people of villages (Gangnolli, Daha, Sankrod, Brouda and Sarthi etc) are suffering from cancer due to discharge of highly toxic and harmful effluents in Kali, Krishna and Hindon rivers of Western Uttar Pradesh.

The plea, filed through advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, claims that in the last two years around 100 persons have died due to consumption of contaminated water in Gangnoli village.

The NGO has also sought "setting up of a monitoring committee of permanent nature to ensure that contaminated or polluted water should not be disposed in the said area".

"Direct the respondents to place on record all the relevant material and documents relating to the steps taken by them to prevent the contamination of water in the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh and in particular district Baghpat and its villages," the plea said.