Apex court had recently asked government to explain why Central Pollution Control Board has no chairperson for the past six months
The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Centre and state pollution control boards for not taking action against industries that are functioning on the banks of River Ganga and polluting it. This has come days after the apex court had rebuked the Centre over its failure to present its vision on cleaning Ganga.
"Yours is a story of complete failure, frustration and disaster,'' the apex court told the boards, according to a PTI report published in The Hindu.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, however, said at a press conference that the Central Pollution Control Board has listed 764 such polluting industries which have been given notice to install sensors at affluent discharge points by March 31 next year.
The apex court which had recently rapped the government for its inaction and lack of seriousness has now asked the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to monitor all polluting industrial units on the banks of river Ganga. The court had also that the Central Pollution Control Board has been without a head or a chairman for the past six months.
Read more: Can we save Ganga?
On the Rs 2,040 crore Clean-Ganga Mission started by Water Resources Ministry, the SC told the Centre, "You are unable to tell us your vision stage-wise on cleaning the holy river Ganga and your ultimate aim.”
NGT has also been asked to prepare and file a report every six months by forming a monitoring committee. The tribunal has also been also empowered to take action against polluting industries.
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