Kumbh Mela: PMO warns firms not to pollute rivers

Ahead of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, PMO has given directions to control pollution levels in Ganga and Yamuna rivers and warned of action against industries dirtying the water bodies.

New Delhi: Ahead of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given directions to control pollution levels in Ganga and Yamuna rivers and warned of action against industries dirtying the water bodies.

A PMO statement said today that the Prime Minister has been monitoring availability of adequate water from Tehri Dam in river Ganga at Allahabad during the Kumbh Mela and directions have been given to control the pollution load flowing in river Yamuna during the Kumbh Mela period. "At Sangam, Allahabad, the BOD (Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand) of Yamuna and Ganga is generally less than 6 mg/ltr but the main issue is of the colour of effluents discharged by the pulp and paper industries into the river Ram Ganga and Kali (both tributaries of Ganga)," it said. Spelling out steps taken to ensure free flow of clean water in the rivers, the PMO said Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand State Pollution Control Boards have been directed to ensure that all paper units discharging their effluents into river Ganga or its tributaries comply with prescribed norms. "Monitoring of water quality in river Ram Ganga and river Kali and their tributaries is being initiated on a daily basis by the state boards of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh with the coordination of CPCB," it said. "Action will be taken against industries for violating the norms," the PMO said, adding Central Pollution Control Board has issued show cause notices for closure of 23 tannery units in Unnao and Banther and "based on the response received/action taken further course of action will be decided." It said that THDCIL (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) has agreed to release 250 cumecs water from December 21, 2012 to February 20, 2013 and 220 cumecs water from February 21 to February 28 in view of demand of water for `Kumbh Snans`. The PMO said it has also given instruction to the Delhi Jal Board to ensure that the performance of the 72 MGD (million gallons per day) STP (sewage treatment plant) at Keshavpur commissioned recently is stabilized so that it functions optimally and the effluent meets the norms. "The Delhi Government has been asked to ensure that the performance of the STPs and CETPs (Common Effluent Treatment Plants) is optimized to meet the effluent quality norms. PTI