KOLKATA, 22 FEB: A notice was directed to be sent by the Division Bench of Mr Justice Pinaki Ghosh and Mr Justice Mrinalkanti Choudhury to National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) headed by Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, to take steps for the better upkeep of the river within three weeks. Formed on 20 February 2009 the chief ministers of the states through which the river flows by are the other members of this committee. The NGRBA comprises two committees in each of these states which deal with planning of schemes and their implementation in connection with the projects to cleanse the river. While the chief minister heads the committee on planning, the committee dealing with implementation is headed by the chief secretary. The NGRBA had met once in the past three years, environmental activist, Mr Subhas Dutta, earlier submitted. While at the state level, the erstwhile chief minister of this state had devoted a few minutes to it and the present incumbent is yet to give any time to it. Way back on 5 May 2006 the court had formed a 13-member committee headed by the principal secretary (environment) to monitor the state of the river. But none of the 42 municipalities in the state bordering the river, including Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Howrah Municipal Corporation, have taken any steps to implement at least 50 directions of the court to cleanse the river, it was submitted. Extending its vigil to riverbank encroachment in Diamond Harbour, a weekend getaway 51 kilometres south of Kolkata, the court during the day directed the local municipality to pull down the encroachments by hotels. Besides removing the solid waste from the riverbanks, the municipality was further directed to find out whether these constructions had sanctioned plans and report back to the court within three weeks. sns