HARIDWAR: Around 20,000 plastic cans that were being sold to pilgrims at Har ki Pauri and were afterwards seized by the Haridwar Municipal Corporation (HMC), are now being used to deliver Gangajal to adjoining states as kanwar yatra has been cancelled for the second year in a row. The civic body has given 5,000 bottles which were lying in the godown of the municipality office, the first batch, to an NGO that is dispatching Ganga water to people in Haryana.
“We had around 20,000 seized plastic cans which were seized from Har ki Pauri lying around, as selling of plastic products is prohibited in Haridwar. An NGO approached us for the cans to send Ganga jal to other states and we agreed. If any other organization approaches us, we will give them the rest of the cans,” Haridwar municipal commissioner Jai Bharat Singh told TOI.
These plastic cans, hazardous for the health of the Ganga river and the environment, are destroyed scientifically by the corporation after being seized. The HMC’s move to transport Ganga water in these has raised eyebrows.
Haridwar mayor Anita Sharma said she was not consulted by the commissioner before the move was taken. “It is very unfortunate that these plastic cans, seized as per law, are being handed over to an NGO for reuse. It is completely against the law. The municipal commissioner did not take any permission from my office and I have requested him to work according to rules.”
