India, April 23 -- The National Green Tribunal has sought reasons as to why sewage treatment plants (STPs) remain non-functional and effluents continue to pollute Ganga in Uttarakhand and Jharkhand. It has also sought a plan for how wastewater will be treated before releasing into Ganga, until STPs start functioning.

NGT was hearing an application by MC Mehta against Union of India, in which the Tribunal is considering the issue of preventing and controlling pollution in Ganga. In the case of Uttarakhand, a compliance affidavit submitted by Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) disclosed that "most of the STPs are not complying with the norms and were frequently found non-operational."

This is particularly important because the Ja...