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Agra: In a startling revelation that indicates the extent of violation of pollution norms in Uttar Pradesh, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed National Green Tribunal (NGT) that only one out of 126 slaughter houses in the state is operating with valid permission. Moreover, only 21 have effluent treatment plants on the premises.The information was submitted during hearing on a petition filed by a Delhi-based environmentalist that abattoirs across the state were dumping blood and animal carcasses in drains, thus polluting ground water sources, besides illegally drawing ground water for running their equipment.CPCB further claimed that the condition of the drains had worsened due to unrestricted dumping of offal and that it had written to chief secretaries of every state in the past asking them to ensure thatslaughter houses which do not fulfill the prescribed criteria should not operate after December 2015.NGT gave two weeks more to UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to file their replies in the matter.During the last hearing on April 4, the tribunal had directed UPPCB to furnish details about the number of slaughter houses operating in Uttar Pradesh, how many of these were operational, how many were lying closed and how many had obtained consent of the Board and whether these were operational or closed.Further, UPPCB was also asked to inform the tribunal about the slaughter houses whose applications were pending. The CGWA had been directed to file an affidavit stating the number ofslaughter houses which had obtained permission for extraction of ground water and, if so, the quantity of water mentioned.NGT in January 2016 had issued notices to the Centre and state government over illegal slaughterhouses being run in the state, especially Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Sambhal and Bulandshahr.The petitioner, Shailesh Singh, had claimed that in various districts of UP, especially Sambhal, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, which are major meat production and export centres, slaughterhouses and furnaces were operating without any permission from authorities and discharging large quantities of untreated effluent contaminated with animal waste and blood in open drains, which ultimatelytributaries of Ganga and Yamuna, causing enormous water pollution and environmental degradation.Singh had alleged that the authorities were permitting operation of unauthorised and illegalslaughter houses and furnaces in these districts, and that the abattoirs were also releasing harmful gases from their chimneys in contravention of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.The next date of hearing has been fixed for May 24.