Ganga clean-up: SC raps Govt

Expressing its annoyance over unexplained utilisation of around Rs 1,000 crore allocated for the Ganga Action Plan, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Planning Commission not to permit any further release of funds without verifying the expenditure incurred for its implementation. It directed Member (Water Resource), Planning Commission, to monitor the funds released to states.

Saying that “earlier people used to take bath in Ganga water, then they started to sprinkle it, and now even that has stopped”, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan observed that the Government had done nothing except setting up committees after committees.

“Setting up so many committees, the Government has preferred to spend that much money for each committee rather than actually getting the work done (ensuring cleaning up of Ganga),” it said.

The observations came during the hearing of a PIL filed by M C Mehta seeking directions to ensure that Ganga water is saved from further pollution.