Local municipality said five big drains are the main cause of pollution

Almost 10 million litres of untreated waste water is pumped directly into the Ganga every day at Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur from five big drains, the National Green Tribunal has been informed.

Sewage treatment plants

The Mirzapur municipality said the five big drains are the main cause of pollution in the Ganga there.

At present, the municipal corporation has a sewage production of 28.8 MLD. There are two sewage treatment plants in the city with total capacity of 18 MLD.

Affidavit

The affidavit filed by the executive officer of the municipal body further said that it had no role in framing schemes for sewerage disposal as the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam had prepared plans for sewage management.

Solid waste management

Appearing for the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand said at a time when the Central government is going full throttle to clean up the Ganga, municipal bodies across the country too should pro-actively come forward to meet the desired goal in a time-bound manner.

On the issue of solid waste management, the Mirzapur municipality told the green court that a unit of the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam had entered into an agreement with a Gurgaon-based firm in 2011.

However, it had became difficult for the Mirzapur municipality to handle solid waste due to delays on part of the contractors.

“They were left with no other option than to dispose of solid waste through the old conventional method, that is, by digging a pit and then covering it. The pit is more than two km away from the banks of the river,” the affidavit further stated.

The civic body also stated in the affidavit that the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam is required to render services for sewerage to State government and local bodies.

Affidavit filed by the civic body says it has

no role in framing schemes for sewerage disposal