Cruise Fine: Pollution Scandal in the Ganga

The district administration fined the Alaknanda cruise Rs 5,000 for polluting the Ganga river after sewage was discharged from the cruise's emergency valve. A committee report revealed the incident happened during routine maintenance. The Pollution Control Board has demanded an explanation.

The district administration has slapped a Rs 5,000 fine on the Alaknanda cruise for allegedly polluting the Ganga river with waste. This action was prompted by a viral video showing sewage flowing out of the cruise into the sacred river.

According to District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar, the probe found that sewage was discharged from an emergency valve when a staff member used a toilet during routine maintenance work. The discharge caused the waste to flow directly into the river, bypassing the septic system.

The Pollution Control Board has issued a notice to the cruise operators, demanding an explanation, while the administration instructed the operators to install a dedicated tank for the emergency valve to prevent future incidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)