Dhanbad: A group of green crusaders named Swasthya evam Paryavaran Sanrakshan Sansthan, working to preserve Bokaro's natural heritage, including its hills and rivers, have sounded an alarm over unplanned encroachment on the banks of river Garga, resulting in a spurt in sewage discharge into the river.

Shockingly, the 46.51km Garga, a tributary of river Damodar that originates from Kasmar and flows through Bermo and Chas, also faces direct discharge of drain water of Chas Municipal Corporation areas and Bokaro Steel City residential colonies.

Swasthya evam Paryavaran Sanrakshan Sansthan, which has its office in Kasmar, organised a seminar on these issues before Bokaro MLA Viranchi Narain in Chas on Sunday, the outfit's general secretary Sashibhushan Ojha Mukul said.

Particularly, the outfit enquired if Chas Municipal Corporation Authorities could make arrangements for sewage treatment plants to avoid direct flow of household sewage into river Garga.

Ojha added that MLA Narain had assured them of taking up the issue of Garga's pollution at the state government level.

Broadly, the green crusaders - who work across the district - want the state government to remove illegal hutments along the banks of Garga, especially in Chira Chas locality, and set up a wastewater (sewage) treatment plants so that toxic water is not discharged into the river.

Bokaro district does not have any sewage treatment plant so far.

"We would request Bokaro Steel administration to ensure avoiding open discharge of household wastes through drain outlets," Ojha, whose father late Pandit Gaurishankar Ojha set up the organisation way back in 1987 which later became a full-fledged NGO, added.

"We would also suggest Chas Municipal Corporation to construct soak pits for houses near the riverbed so that direct discharge of sewage into the river can be prevented," he said.

The NGO functionary added that soil and sand were being illegally extracted from Garga banks that would cause long-term ecological damage.

Also, their organisation had been carrying out an agitation against the illegal felling of trees in forests near Chas and illegal acquisition of land near Satanpur hills in the area.

"Our protests against illegal encroachment near Satanpur hills have borne fruit as the government has become vigilant now," Ojha said.

The outfit's vice-president Raghubar Prasad said they also organised Vriksha Pujan (plant worship day), Vriksha Sinchan Diwas (plant watering day) and Vriksha Dipawali (afforestation festival), a yearly aarti on Garga banks as well as rallies across the year to make the masses, especially the youth, aware why rivers, hills and forests were treasures that needed protection.