A monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) checked the water quality of Ganga in Bijnor on Wednesday. This comes in the backdrop of the upcoming Kumbh mela, for which committees have been formed under the NGT to check water quality of Ganga in all districts through which the river passes.

According to officials, Kumbh is set to start from January 14 and will continue till March 4. This time the government is keen to make the Ganga clean and assured pilgrims to provide clean water to them.

All industries located on the banks of Ganga and its tributaries have been served notices informing them that strict actions will be taken if they pollute the river. The NGT is visiting all the districts through which Ganga passes.

On Wednesday, the monitoring team of NGT led by its chairman, Justice Arun Tandon, visited Bijnor district and inspected several sites to check the water quality of Ganga. District magistrate Atal Rai and pollution control board’s regional officer GC Verma were also present during the inspection.

Talking to TOI, Verma said, “Justice Arun Tandon, chairman of NGT’s monitoring team, visited Bijnor district on Wednesday. He came here to check the water quality of Ganga. As the river enters UP at Bijnor, the monitoring team checked the water quality at Balawali and Ganga barrage.”

“The dissolved oxygen (DO) was around 9.9 milligram per litre at Balawali and 9.7 at Ganga barrage. DO should be above five milligram per litre for aquatic animals. The water in Bijnor is very clean,” added Verma.

“The monitoring team also checked the municipality area of Bijnor’s sewage treatment plant which is located in the outskirts of the city close to Hemraj colony. It started two months ago,” the RO said.

Tandon instructed the administration and pollution control board to keep a close watch on industries releasing their water into Ganga and its tributaries

Source: TOI