Solid waste monitoring panel warns people of 11 districts not to bathe or walk near river Gomti

LUCKNOW: A swim in the Gomti or boating or even an evening stroll on the riverfront could be harmful for health.

Sounding an alarm on the high level of pollution in the Gomti due to discharge of untreated sewage, the Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste Management and Monitoring Committee (UPSWMMC), formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Monday warned people of 11 districts - Lucknow, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh and Jaunpur - situated on the banks of the river not to bathe in its water or even walk near it.

The body has also recommended NGT to impose Rs 1-2 crore fine on urban local bodies of these 11 districts for causing environment damages, besides directions for the district magistrates to take adequate steps for installing sewage treatment plants (STPs) and to UP government to deposit Rs 100 crore as guarantee, which could be confiscated if authorities fail to check sewage discharge into the river within two years. The committee has also not spared UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and the Jal Nigam. Holding the two bodies responsible for failing to take adequate measures to check pollution in the river, a fine of nearly Rs 7 crore and Rs 3 crore has been recommended against UPPCB and Jal Nigam, respectively.

Construction near Gomti bank: Panel wants 150m norm

UPSWMMC secretary and a retired judge, Rajendra Singh, told TOI, “Our study shows that the Gomti river is so polluted that if anyone takes a bath or even walks on its banks may face health issues because of the unhygienic fumes emanating from the river water.” According to UPSWMMC study, Lucknow produces around 2.46 lakh litre sewage daily, of which only 1.44 lakh is being treated by the STPs installed by the Jal Sansthan while the rest goes into the river untreated. For this, a fine of Rs 2 crore has been recommended against Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC).

Besides, the panel has also recommended that no construction work should be allowed within 150 metre of the river.

Similarly, the study states that untreated sewage is being discharged into the Gomti in the 10 other districts from where it passes and the panel has recommended a fine of Rs one crore on the municipal corporation/municipality of all these districts.

Besides, the committee has asked the administrations of all the 11 districts to submit a detailed project report (DPR) of STPs under Namami Gange scheme required in their areas within a month and that the Central government gets them installed within nine months.

Also, all the 11 district magistrates have been directed to put steel nets and bi-remediation to prevent solid waste from flowing into the river.

