NGT seeks views on shifting of tanneries from Ganga banks

The National Green Tribunal today directed Uttar Pradesh government and tanneries located on the banks of river Ganga at Kanpur to clear their stand on shifting them to some other place to stop uncontrolled discharge of effluents into the river.
Cleaning of Ganga was its utmost priority as the river is respected by people across the nation, the Tribunal, which is conducting day-to-day hearing, underscored as it refused a plea for more time by the lawyer appearing for tanneries and asked him to submit a response on the issue by tomorrow.
Noting that the stretch between Haridwar and Unnao is the worst polluted segment in Ganga, the green panel said it was unquestionable that the 700 tanneries in Jajmau, Kanpur were the highest source of pollution and asked them to "effectively" operate chromium recovery plants.

"You (tanneries) take clean water from Ganga and release polluted water into it. This can't go on endlessly. Everything doesn't come free....
"UP government and tanneries should clear their stand on shifting them. They must also submit their views on usage of treated water from sewage treatment plants and their contribution on establishment of common effluent treatment plants," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar observed.
The tribunal said it was time for all the authorities to contribute positively so that a "true picture" with regard to pollution in Ganga comes to the notice.

"Today, if you pick Ganga water in your hands at Haridwar, you will see that it is full of pollutants including faecal matter. When you put your hand in Ganga you can get anything. Have you ever thought why is it so?

"We are talking of a river which is respected by people across the nation. This river is lifeline of millions of people in India and is also source of agriculture. People used to drink Gangajal and store it in their houses for years. Faith in Ganga was not a mere myth, it was tested fact," the bench said.
When the NGT asked the lawyer appearing for tanneries to submit his response on the issue by tomorrow, he sought time till November 21 to file his response.
However, the bench refused to extend the date and said cleaning of Ganga was it utmost priority and it would continue to hear the case on day-to-day without any adjournment.

During the hearing, the bench also directed Central Pollution Control Board to submit a note on the condition of Ganga including its water quality and sewage discharge in the past and the present.
On November 15, the tribunal had stopped the government from spending "a single penny" for Ganga rejuvenation work between Haridwar and Unnao, saying a whopping Rs 20,000 crore was being spent on the entire national project by officials who did not even know about the river.
The green panel has divided the work of cleaning the river in different segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar (Phase-I), Haridwar to Unnao (termed as segment B of Phase-I), Unnao to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.

The tribunal had earlier said ill-planning and unscientific approach by the authorities has to led to the chaotic condition faced by the Ganga.
Last year, the tribunal had imposed a complete ban on use of plastic of any kind from Gomukh to Haridwar along the river from February 1 and decided to slap a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day on erring hotels, dharamsalas and ashrams spewing waste.