Several new projects worth Rs 1400 crore have been sanctioned for various projects in four states to check pollution in the Ganga, the Centre has told the Supreme Court. The money sanctioned under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) programme would be spent on projects related to sewer networks, sewage treatment and river front development in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and West Bengal.
According to documents filed by the Centre, Rs 496 crore and Rs 305 crore has been sanctioned for Varanasi and Allahabad, Rs 442 crore has been sanctioned for Bihar to be spent in Hajipur, Baxur, Munger and Begusarai.
The documents were filed In response to a petition challenging an Allahabad HC order dismissing a PIL by N Ravindran, who had questioned the involvement of UP Jal Nigam in the implementation of GAP-II alleging it had failed to discharge its obligations in respect of GAP-I.
A bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi dismissed the petition as withdrawn after Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain submitted details of the utilisation of funds for GAP and the petitioner’s counsel said he did not want to press the petition in view of the constitution of the NGRBA under chairmanship of Prim Minister Manmohan Singh.
The court gave liberty to the petitioner to agitate the issue afresh. A bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia is scheduled to hear another petition filed by advocate and environment activist MC Mehta on Monday.