Cleaning Ghaggar not a priority for Pkl MC, state irrigation dept

Panchkula: Even though the Ghaggar river bank is littered with trash after Ganesh Visarjan, preparations are in full swing to celebrate Chhath Puja at the same site. During a visit to the site, wooded frames of Ganesh idol can be seen stuck in the river bed, with no cleanliness drive undertaken after the festival. Other waste material, meant to be immersed in the river, is also regularly dumped at the bank. On the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the city authorities had put up iron nets on the Ghaggar overbridge. However, people now throw the trash over the nets, with some landing on the railings itself. “While people have been complaining abput untreated sewage flowing into the Ghaggar, no one is talking about this pollution,” said a local resident. “Residents of adjoining villages dump solid waste here. This has resulted in an unbearable foul smell,” he added. Activist Nitesh Mittal, a resident of Sector 25, said, “Trash linked to Ganesh Visarjan is still lying there. The authorities have not bothered to clean it. If regular monitoring and cleaning is done by the department (s) concerned, the Ghaggar will be clean.” A member of ‘Save Ghaggar’ campaign, Mohit Gupta pointed out, “As per directions of the Central Pollution Board, the municipal corporation has to build immersion pond for events like Ganesh Visarjan, but it has failed to do so. Besides, garbage and untreated sewage also flows into the river. This all needs to stop.” While residents are worried about the foul smell and insanitary conditions, authorities do not seem bothered, with the MC and irrigation department passing the buck. When contacted, Panchkula mayor Kulbhusan Goyal said, “Nets have been installed on the bridge to prevent littering. But as far as cleanliness is concerned, the irrigation wing has to do it.” On the other hand, executive engineer Anurag Goyal said, “As far as cleaning material inside the river is concerned, it is the responsibility of the civic body.”