The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board has finally started sealing hotels and dharamshalas which are running sans consent from the board. Two hotels were sealed by the district administration on Tuesday in conjunction with the officials of Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board.
In spite of the notices slapped by UEPPCB, these hotels refused to conform to the norms laid down by the Green Tribunal. They have not yet cared to secure the mandatory consent from the Pollution Control Board.
Speaking to The Pioneer, district officer of state Pollution Control Board, Ankur Kansal said, “Hotel Shiv Murti near Haridwar railway station and hotel Chotiwala at Haripur kalan have been seized on Tuesday by our team. We had sent notice to the hotels in April to take consent from the board to operate. But they did not comply. As the first step, the department cut off electricity by way of warning. Now, we have sealed the hotels. “Things happened thick and fast following NGT releasing an order last week, stating that STP was mandatory for hotels and dhramshalas which have more than 20 rooms. When asked about the implementation of the said order Kansal said, “Many hotels fall in this category. So we have asked the member secretary to issue the guidelines about the execution of the orders.”
“We are preparing action plan to implement the tribunal’s latest order. Mostly, hotels and dhramshalas in Haridwar have more than 20 rooms. It is not easy to implement the order. Talks are on to evolve the mechanism to be adopted. We are making a list of these hotels and dhramshalas,” he added.
While most of the hotels in city area are situated in narrow lanes, it is practically impossible to build STP, argued the members of hotel association.
Notably, most of the hotels and dharmshalas are situated at the bank of Ganga. Sewage and domestic waste water are being released through the drain by these hotels and dharmshalas which carries to STP located at Jagjeetpur village.
The STP plant at Jagjeetpur is capable of treating only 45 MlDs while the waste water being generated is more than double. Due to this, the extra sewage and waste water is being released directly in the Ganga sans any treatment.