NGT summons departmental heads over Yamu pollution

Agra, May 26: The tiol Green Tribul has summoned all heads of departments concerned with civic amenities and cleanliness, including the divisiol commissioner, to appear before it on May 31 to explain why the Yamu river cannot be cleaned. The NGT said on Wednesday it had issued so many orders but the situation remains much the same and proper facts are not being placed to get a clear understanding of the ground realities. The heads of the municipal corporations, the Agra Development Authority, the district magistrate, superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board officials, and Jal Nigam, have to appear before the tribul next Tuesday. The order came on a petition by environmentalist D.K. Joshi, who had origilly complained against encroachers in the Yamu floodplains.

Last week he brought to the notice of the NGT the threat to the Taj Mahal from insects leaving green poop on the surface of the monument turning it green. “The Yamu pollution is now affecting the Taj Mahal, but they are still not taking the problem seriously,” Joshi told IANS. Rahul Choudhary, counsel for the petitioner, told the NGT that pollution in the Yamu river had created a new problem as breeding ground of a new species of insects that are discolouring the monument. (IANS)