The National Green Tribunal (NGT), headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar on May 30 again wound through the complicated and polluted canal systems of Uttar Pradesh in trying to establish proper checks and balances in making the Ganga Action Plan 1 & 2 somewhat logical and effective.

On May 30, the NGT got word from stakeholders in Muzaffarnagar agreeing to treat the drains by coming up with oxidation ponds. The court was discussing the drains falling in Meerut and Hapur. All industries falling in the catchment area of the drains in Muzaffarnagar are subject to joint inspection.

The major drain in Meerut is “Chuhia” and it runs 50 km before meeting River Kali. There are 37 industries surrounding these drains, all of them highly polluting. The bench directed these industries to install their own Sewage Treatment Plants (STP). The industries have three months to comply.

In Hapur, there are three major drains and different departments have different names for those drains. The bench, going by the map, decided that the major drain in the town is Katauli which runs 13 km before joining the River Kali.

The bench directed installation of STPs of 14 MLD after Hapur drain 1 meets City Drain 1.

The City Drain 2 will have an STP of 10 mld, 700 m from the river. This area comes under town municipality. There are seven industrial pockets in Hapur, and the bench directed this unit to be regulated and subject to joint inspection.

The bench further directed that the officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board should visit Hapur on May 30 itself and inform the bench about the correct name of the drains as recorded by the irrigation department.

Matter adjourned to be listed on May 31.

—India Legal Bureau