National Geen Tribunal (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to inform it about number of industries operating on the banks of Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao and total sewage generated from these units.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar asked the advocate general of UP to apprise it of the exact figure of industries as different government agencies were giving varying numbers having huge difference.
The top law officer of the state assured the bench that he would sort out the issue and would bring before it the figure of industries as well as total sewage generated from these units.
The absence of the director of industries of UP, who was asked to appear on Wednesday and give details, in the hearing irked the bench which remarked, “We are highly displeased the way your officers are behaving. They are highly irresponsible. When we had specifically asked him to be present in the court today, why has he not come?”
It also sought to know as to which officer could give it the figure of working industries in UP and their nature.
During the hearing, the executive director of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) told the bench that there were 400 industrial units in Kanpur’s Jajmau, an industrial suburb, and said the figure has been verified by a joint committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).
He said the industrial units have to follow zero liquid discharge and end-pipe solution and in the last six years, this technology has been evolved.
The bench has been repeatedly wanting to find out the exact number of industries operating in segment B which covers the areas from Haridwar to Unnao as there is “huge difference” in the data provided by separate government agencies.