The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide a report detailing the measures undertaken for the demarcation of floodplain zones along the Varuna and Assi rivers, both tributaries of the Ganga, in Varanasi district. The green panel was hearing a petition alleging that the local civic body failed to delineate the floodplain zones of these rivers, leading to continuous encroachments.
The plea also accused unauthorized discharge of sewage into the rivers. A bench led by National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava took note of a report from the Varanasi Municipal Corporation indicating that 15 drains were releasing partially-treated sewage into the Varuna, adversely affecting its water quality.
The Bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Members A. Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, highlighted a report from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board revealing that among the 15 drains inspected, three were connected, 10 were partially connected, and two remained unconnected.
In a recent ruling, the Bench further cited the board’s report stating that approximately 28 million litres per day (MLD) of untreated sewage was being discharged into the Assi. The tribunal remarked that the Joint Secretary of Urban Development of the State submitted an action-taken report belatedly on February 15, 2024, which disclosed a similar scenario regarding untreated sewage discharge into the Varuna and Assi rivers.
However, it criticized the report for lacking information on steps taken for the demarcation of floodplain zones along the Varuna and Assi in Varanasi district. “The report, however, was ‘absolutely silent’ regarding the steps taken for the demarcation of the Varuna and the Assi’s floodplains in Varanasi district,” it added. “Counsel for the State is unable to disclose to the tribunal as to why the State is not responding on the issue of demarcation of floodplain zones.
Hence, the State of Uttar Pradesh is directed to file a fresh report within four weeks, disclosing the steps taken in this regard,” the NGT stated. It also directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to file a new report disclosing the action taken against the “defaulting authorities”. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on April 26, 2024.