NGT forms panel to study river Alaknanda pollution

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a panel to study whether untreated sewage and solid waste is being discharged into the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand, one of the two headstreams of the Ganga.

To that end, the bench constituted a joint committee comprising members from the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), the National Mission for Clean Gange, the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change's regional office in Dehradun and the Chamoli district magistrate.

It directed the committee members to visit the site, collect relevant information and submit a factual and action-taken report within two months. The matter was posted for further hearing on April 28.

Also Read | Illegal structures to be demolished on Karwar beach, NGT told

The NGT passed this order after hearing a petition which alleged that liquid waste being discharged into the river resulted from the improper functioning of the sewage treatment plant (STP) installed at Badrinath.

The petition also alleged that solid waste, including religious offerings at Badrinath Dham, was also being directly thrown in the river without being scientifically processed.

"The report shall also include facts as to how and in what manner solid waste is being treated or processed at Badrinath Dham for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste ensuring that entire waste generated is duly processed and no waste is disposed of down the hills or slopes; the details of STP, and its running, ensuring that capacities of designed STPs are fully utilised and no untreated wastewater goes to the river Alakananda," the bench said.