VARANASI, May 30: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Forests and Environment has expressed dissatisfaction over the outcome of the first phase of the Ganga Action Plan and has pleaded for a thorough review of the whole exercise.

The preliminary assessment of the committee is that owing to various shortcomings in planning and implementation, the Ganga Action Plan has not achieved the objective of cleaning the Ganga to a satisfactory extent. In the second phase of the action plan, more effort and vigilance is needed, committee chairman Guman Mal Lodha told reporters at a press conference here on Thursday.

Expressing surprise, Lodha said the aim of the Ganga Action Plan had been to make the river fit for bathing. In fact, the aim should have been to make the river water clean enough to be used for drinking. Millions of people living near the river as well as scores of pilgrims consumed the water assuming it was pure and safe. They should be informed of the real condition of the river, he added.

Lodha said it was unfortunate that municipal sewage was still flowing into the Ganga at the Dashashwamedha Ghat -- the most famous ghat of this holy city.

He said the area used by millions of pilgrims was in a miserable condition with raw sewage pouring into the river. The pumping station constructed there was incapable of diverting the entire discharge.

Lodha, along with another committee member R R Pramanik visited the various sites of the Ganga Action Plan on Thursday and enquired about the functioning of pumping stations and sewage treatment plants.

They were told that even after spending Rs 50 crore on the first phase of the Ganga Action Plan in the city, the quality of water had not improved. On the contrary, the pollution in the river had increased. Members of the committee opined that the objectives, strategies and implementation mechanism of the second phase of the plan should be reset, keeping in view the shortcomings and failures of the first phase.

Residents of villages around the Dinapaur treatment plant, which treats waste water told the standing committee that wells and water sources in many villages were polluted by the discharge of half-treated water from the plant. The villagers also complained that the incidence of infectious diseases had increased in these villages and crops and vegetables were badly affected by the polluted water.

Pramanik said almost all the rivers of the country were polluted and needed attention and care.

The committee showed its displeasure over the failure of the officials of the action plan to inform the media and the people at large about the progress of the schemes. It said the cooperation of Non-Governmental Organisations should be ensured while implementing various schemes.

Oxygen dose revives Tungabhadra

In a novel operation, toxicologist and clinical aquatherapists injected 5000 kgs of liquid oxygen into the river Tungabhadra to get rid of pollution.

The stink emanating from the river was reduced and the water regained its purity after the operation. The river was also found to be free of molasses effects. The oxygen was injected through copper pipes.

A team of toxicology experts including Ramakant Patwari and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman K V Bengeri on Thursday assessed the status of the river after the oxygen therapy. According to a press release here, the team visited Anegundi and Talwargatta to examine water samples.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.