NGT summons departmental heads over Yamuna pollution

Agra, May 26: The National Green Tribunal has summoned all heads of departments concerned with civic amenities and cleanliness, including the divisional commissioner, to appear before it on May 31 to explain why the Yamuna river cannot be cleaned.

The NGT said on Wednesday it had issued so many orders but the situation remains much the same and proper facts are not being placed to get a clear understanding of the ground realities.

The heads of the municipal corporations, the Agra Development Authority, the district magistrate, superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board officials, and Jal Nigam, have to appear before the tribunal next Tuesday.

The order came on a petition by environmentalist D.K. Joshi, who had originally complained against encroachers in the Yamuna floodplains.

Last week he brought to the notice of the NGT the threat to the Taj Mahal from insects leaving green poop on the surface of the monument turning it green.

"The Yamuna pollution is now affecting the Taj Mahal, but they are still not taking the problem seriously," Joshi said.

Rahul Choudhary, counsel for the petitioner, told the NGT that pollution in the Yamuna river had created a new problem as breeding ground of a new species of insects that are discolouring the monument.

The NGT asked the irrigation department why the boundaries of the floodplains on the basis of 2010 flood had not been clearly demarcated.

IANS