(1) The Central Government shall immediately after the commencement of this Order, in consultation with concerned State Ganga Committee, by notification constitute, in every specified District abutting River Ganga and its tributaries in the States mentioned in paragraph 2, the “District Ganga Committees” for the prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in the River Ganga.
(2) Every District Ganga Committee in each specified District shall consist of the following members, namely: - |
(a) the District Collector in the specified District; - Chairperson,ex-officio; |
(b) not more than two nominated representatives from Municipalities and Gram Panchayats of the specified District nominated by the State Government. - Members; |
(c) one representative each of the Public Works, Irrigation, Public Health Engineering, and Rural Drinking Water Departments, and State Pollution Control Board working in the specified District abutting River Ganga to be nominated by the District Collector - Member, ex-officio; |
(d) two environmentalists associated with River Ganga protection activities and one representative of local industry association in the specified District to be nominated by the District Collector - Members: |
(e) one Divisional Forest Officer of the specified District - Member,ex-officio |
(f) one District official to be nominated by the District Collector. - Members; |
(2) The District Collector shall be the Chairperson of the District Ganga Committee and the Divisional Forest Officer shall be the Convener of the District Ganga Committee.
(3) The District Ganga Committees shall meet at such times and at such places as the Chairperson of that Committee may decide and exercise such powers and functions as may be conferred under this Order: Provided that at least one meeting of the District Ganga Committee shall be held every three months.
(4) A non-ex-officio member may resign his office by giving notice in writing thereof to the Central Government or to the District Collector concerned, as the case may be, and shall cease to be a member on his resignation being accepted by the Government or the District Collector concerned, as the case may be.
The superintendence, direction, and control of the management of the District Ganga Committee (including financial and administrative matters) shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Order, vest in the National Mission for Clean Ganga which may be exercised by it either directly or through the State Ganga Committee or any of its officer or any other authority specified by it.
(1) Every District Ganga Committee shall discharge functions and exercise powers for rejuvenation, protection, restoration and rehabilitation of River Ganga and its tributaries in each specified District as laid out in paragraph 6 and 7 as per the principles specified in paragraph 4.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-paragraph (1) for rejuvenation and protection and restoration or rehabilitation of degraded areas abutting River Ganga and its tributaries and subject to other provisions of this Order and rules made thereunder, every District Ganga Committee shall have the following powers and functions in relation to River Ganga and its tributaries abutting in the area in specified District, namely: -
(a) identifying activities which may be threats in the area of specified District abutting the river Ganga for protection of River Ganga and its tributaries or its River bed and making a plan for remedial action and take remedial action in respect thereof;
(b) taking remedial action at its own end for protection of River Ganga and its tributaries or its Riverbed abutting in the specified District (excluding enforcement of the provisions of this Order)
(c) in the event of its inability to take remedial action, reporting (electronically as well as by sending written communication in hard copy) to The National Mission for Clean Ganga and concerned State Government, The State Ganga Committee, as the case may be, for issue of direction for protection of River Ganga and to formulate appropriate management or remedial actions.
(d) taking suitable administrative and other measures, to give effect to the provisions of this Order so as to prevent the environmental pollution in the river Ganga and its tributaries, not being inconsistent with the provisions of this Order, or any law for the time being in force.
(3) In case, the District Ganga Committee is of the opinion that any contravention has been made of any other law for the time being in force or in respect of provisions of this Order, it shall take appropriate action in accordance with the law for the time being in force.
(4) The District Ganga Committee shall take all such emergency measures as specified in paragraph 7.
(1) Every District Ganga Committee shall nominate as Nodal Officer for the purposes of this Order –
(a) the Sarpanch of Gram Sabha of every village in the areas abutting the River Ganga and its tributaries;
(b) in case of an area, not being village abutting the River Ganga, the Chairperson of Municipality Planning Committee or Metropolitan Planning Committee or Chairperson of any local authority, as the Chairperson of the District Ganga Committee.
(2) Every Nodal Officer nominated under sub-paragraph (1) shall take measures to prevent the pollution of River Ganga and its tributaries and take remedial action for protection of River Ganga and its tributaries or their River bed abutting in such village or other area, as the case may be, of which he is the Nodal Officer and in case of his failure to do so, he shall report the violation of this Order to the Chairperson of the District Ganga Committee for remedial action.
(3) After receipt of the report under sub-paragraph (2), the Chairperson of the District Ganga Committee shall take remedial action for protection of River Ganga or its Riverbed abutting the specified District.
(1) Every District Ganga Committee shall prepare its plan for protection of River Ganga and its tributaries and their River bed abutting the specified District and submit the same to the National Mission for Clean Ganga for its approval.
(2) The plan under sub-paragraph (1) shall include the activities to be undertaken by the District Ganga Committee for protection, control and abatement of environmental pollution in River Ganga and its tributaries and their River Bed area abutting the specified District which may be recommended by the State Government, State Ganga Committees, the National Mission for Clean Ganga, any other authority or Board and the expenditure involved for such plan and time within which such activities shall be completed.
Every District Ganga Committee shall prepare its budget for every financial year indicating therein the funds required and purposes for which such funds shall be spent and the time limit within which the activity mentioned in the budget shall be completed and submit to concerned State Ganga Committee under intimation to National Mission for Clean Ganga and such Committee shall ensure proper maintenance of accounts as directed by National Mission for Clean Ganga, for audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any other agency appointed by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and such accounts shall be subject to inspection by National Ganga Council, National Mission for Clean Ganga, State Ganga Committee or any of their appointed entities.
(1) Every District Ganga Committee shall, submit monthly and annual reports to the National Ganga Council, National Mission for Clean Ganga and State Ganga Committee as directed by National Mission for Clean Ganga within specified timelines.
(2) In addition to the annual report referred to in sub-paragraph (1), the District Ganga Committee shall furnish to the National Mission for Clean Ganga at such time and in such form and manner it may direct to furnish such other returns, statements, and other particulars in regard to any proposed or existing programme for the River Ganga Basin Plan for the abutting area in the specified District.