Dehradun, Aug. 8 -- National Green Tribunal (NGT) principal bench New Delhi has sought a comprehensive report from the Devprayag municipal council over allegations that untreated sewage and septage from public toilets and surrounding drains are being discharged directly into the Bhagirathi river in Tehri Garhwal district. The tribunal passed the order on August 4 while hearing the petition (363/2026) filed by Priyank Karnatak, a Teerth Purohit of Badrinath. The application was registered on the basis of a letter petition submitted by Karnatak, who raised concerns over sewage discharge into the Bhagirathi at Devprayag. According to the petition, Devprayag is a sacred confluence where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers merge to form the Ganga. The petitioner alleged that public toilets had been constructed near the Devprayag Sangam, below Okaranand Public School, for the convenience of pilgrims. However, untreated sewage and septage from these toilets and drains in the surrounding civil lines area were allegedly being discharged directly into the Bhagirathi without treatment. The petitioner also submitted photographs of the area in support of the allegations. The NGT observed that the application raised a substantial issue concerning compliance with environmental norms. It subsequently impleaded the district magistrate, Tehri Garhwal, member secretary of the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, secretary, environment, Uttarakhand, and the Devprayag municipal council through its chief executive officer as respondents. The tribunal issued notices to all the respondents and directed the applicant to serve them and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next hearing. The NGT order stated, "The Respondent No. 4 is directed to file a comprehensive report in respect of discharge of untreated sewage/septage in river Ganga as reflected in the complaint of the Applicant. List on 16.10.2026". The NGT principal bench New Delhi has directed the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) to take expeditious action against a Haldwani hospital over alleged violations related to the treatment and disposal of hospital wastewater, after an inspection found that its effluent treatment plant (ETP) and sewage treatment plant (STP) were not functioning properly. The tribunal passed the order on August 6 while hearing a petition filed by Deep Chandra Pande alleging that untreated or partially treated hospital wastewater and effluent from respondent no. 4 was being dumped in the open through tankers, creating health hazards and causing air and water pollution. The UKPCB, in its response affidavit filed before the tribunal, enclosed an inspection report dated December 3, 2025. The inspection was conducted at Ujala Signs Central Hospital in Haldwani in the presence of a hospital representative. The report said the hospital has 150 beds and generates different categories of biomedical waste. According to the inspection report, biomedical waste was being stored in colour-coded bins without segregation during the inspection. The hospital had an agreement with Global Environment Solution, Gadarpur, in Udham Singh Nagar, for disposal of biomedical waste....