NGT team inspects polluted drains flowing into Devha river

Pilibhit: A two-member team appointed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday inspected nine highly polluted city drains that discharge untreated waste directly into the Devha river, following a letter petition seeking action to protect it.The inspection was conducted after NGT took cognisance of an application filed on Oct 28 last year by Pilibhit-based lawyer and social volunteer Shivam Kashyap, who urged the tribunal to intervene to curb pollution and preserve the river's religious and ancient significance.Officials said the drains were found releasing untreated sewage, plastic waste, polythene and other litter into the river. Two drains were also carrying remnants of slaughtered animals, though there is no licensed slaughterhouse in the district.The NGT panel comprised Harish Kumar Mahavar, an expert on small river rejuvenation, and Kirti Verma, both from the National Mission for Clean Ganga. The team also reviewed roadside dumping of household waste on the city's outskirts, along with sewage and solid-waste management systems.River Devha, known in scriptures as Devhooti Ganga and believed to predate the Ganga, originates in Uttarakhand's central Kumaun region and merges with the Ganga near Farrukhabad. The river supports irrigation through structures such as the Nanak Sagar dam and Deuni barrage, with multiple canals drawing water from it.District magistrate Gyanendra Singh said he had been urged by NMCG director Rahul Dwivedi to convene a joint meeting of key departments—including the pollution control board, urban local bodies, irrigation department, and Jal Nigam—to review compliance with NGT norms and finalise action plans."The pollution is clearly visible in drains and along roadsides. We will submit our report with recommendations to the NGT," Verma said.DM Singh said tenders had been invited for operating the solid waste management plant and that a proposal for bioremediation of polluted drains had been sent to the state government. He also said that strict action would be taken against those dumping animal remains into drains and that dairies operating within the city would be shifted to the outskirts.