SC pulls up depts on Ganga pollution

Earlier, the court had directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests to furnish a detailed affidavit on the progress of the plan along with an utilisation certificate received from the states covered under it. As Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikas Singh pleaded for more time to file its response, the court wanted to know whether the government would ever apprise it on the utilisation of funds. “Is it your case that the utilisation certificate would not be produced before this court,” the Bench asked. The apex court then gave three weeks time to submit the utilisation certificate.

As Krishna Mahajan, the amicus curiae, pointed out that Ganga water has become poisonous and is unfit for human consumption, the ASG objected. He said: “It is easy for the amicus to say people are being affected.” Mahajan asked Singh to refrain from making personal comments. “This way it is going too far, especially when the ASG himself is appearing in the matter,” Mahajan remarked.

Even as Singh informed the court that a new plan for cleaning the river was prepared by one of the IITs, the amicus curiae pointed out how several committees have been monitoring the plan and that the Ministry has not learnt its lessons.

As the court sought to know more about the utilisation funds, Singh submitted that it is for the states covered under the GAP to answer. The states covered under GAP are Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Bihar and West Bengal.