New Delhi: A senior scientist, Prof Venkatesh Dutta, has quit from the District Ganga Committee (DGC), Lucknow, saying he was excluded from crucial decisions related to the protection and rejuvenation of its surroundings and that he could not back “mindless” construction of embankments and highways in eco-sensitive zones.He said in his resigation letter, sent to DGC chairman Vishak G., the Lucknow district magistrate, and member secretary of the DGC Sitanshu Pandey, that he had opposed the proposed expansion of a “green corridor project” on the Gomti River’s floodplain, but this proposal was pushed through by the rest of the committee without his knowledge.“If the observations and recommendations of river ecologists and scientists are not being given due consideration and if project-related documents such as the DPR and EIA are not made available to committee members for informed deliberation, I find it difficult to justify my continued association with the committee,” Dutta wrote, reports the Times of India.The Gomti River is a tributary of the Ganga River, which the Modi government has vowed to clean up for over a decade. The so-called Lucknow green corridor is a four-lane highway and embankment proposed to be built over a 28-km stretch that would be “signal free”.The project, which has constantly changed form and been re-conceptualised as either riverfront development or green corridor and so on, was initially planned during the previous Samajwadi Party government and has attracted controversy, including a CBI probe, in the past.The district committees are a part of the Modi government’s Namami Gange scheme to rejuvenate the river across Uttar Pradesh. These committees are supposed to ensure peoples’ participation in managing the river’s ecosystem. The Namami Gange’s riverfront development aspect has caused continued to cause significant consternation among scientists and ecologists.“The Gomti has already suffered ecological damage from interventions, including the 2015 riverfront project, which he said restricted the floodplain through deep diaphragm walls,” he said, as per Hindustan Times.As per the web site of the Lucknow Development Authority, it is in the process of constructing the Lucknow Green Corridor to achieve “non-stop quick road connectivity from the eastern to western part of Lucknow city”. It refers to the project as “a major urban infrastructure initiative aimed at improving mobility and reducing traffic congestion in the city”.Earlier in July, the NGT had halted the green corridor project, saying construction contrary to green norms on sensitive zones were not to be pushed through.Dutta has said that his objections were related to ensuring environmental standards were maintained on crucial floodplains, which absorb excess water, and to protect riverine ecology. In his letter, the scientist, who teaches environmental science at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, opposed infrastructure projects on floodplains and fragile river ecosystems, says the publication.These include proposed highways, embankments and a four-lane road across the floodplain, which he said could alter the river’s hydrology, and reduce flood-management capacity. He also highlighted the concern over sewage being discharged into the Gomti River as well as noted the tendency of project developers to seek post-facto environmental clearance.One of the crucial tasks of the district Ganga committees is to oversee the effluent discharge into river systems that flow into the Ganga River, manage the developmental concerns while keeping sustainability as a priority.“It is distressing to note that several statutory clearances appear to be pursued only after the project has already progressed through two phases,” he said, as per ToI.