Gautam Budh Nagar: District Ganga Committee seeks action plan to stop waste into Ganga tributaries

The order calls for mapping of all drains (nullahs) that empty into the Hindon and its feeder channels, and demands details of solid and liquid waste management at the local level

NOIDA: The Gautam Budh Nagar’s District Ganga Committee (DGC) has asked all civic and government departments to file proof-based reports by October 20 about the steps taken to prevent waste discharge into rivers and tributaries, officials said on Monday, adding that the direction is part of the ongoing review under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The idea is to identify every point where untreated waste might be entering the river system and plug it with evidence-backed monitoring. (HT Archive)

The order calls for mapping of all drains (nullahs) that empty into the Hindon and its feeder channels, and demands details of solid and liquid waste management at the local level.

“The idea is to identify every point where untreated waste might be entering the river system and plug it with evidence-backed monitoring. All departments have been instructed to ensure that no treated waste enters natural drains or tributaries within the district,” said district magistrate Medha Roopam.

Over 25 departments - including the Jal Nigam, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Nagar Panchayats of Dadri, Jewar, and Dankaur, and the district’s development, irrigation and forest divisions - have been told to file data through a common proforma, officials said, adding that failure to comply will attract review during the next district committee inspection.

The form seeks information on the number of drains, frequency of cleaning, installation of waste screens, ghat maintenance, and the status of rural solid waste treatment.

The committee has also asked departments to involve NGOs in public awareness and the recycling of pooja materials to prevent their dumping into water bodies. Each submission must be backed with photographs, maps, or supporting documents to verify the work done on ground.

The committee will compile all submissions and forward a consolidated report to the NMCG headquarters in Delhi. Surprise checks are likely before the next meeting later this month, officials indicated.

Environmental activists have long warned that drains carrying untreated waste into the Hindon continue to threaten the larger Ganga basin, despite repeated clean-up plans.

“Across the Indo-Gangetic floodplain, most rivers are in a precarious state. Noida itself has turned into a parched landscape despite lying between two rivers - the Hindon and the Yamuna - which rank among the most polluted stretches globally. This review is part of the continuous monitoring under the Namami Gange programme. The committee will assess the data and suggest corrective measures wherever necessary,” said DGC member Abshisht Gupta.