MoEFCC directed Uttarakhand to enforce Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone notification strictly.
Punjab Pollution Control Board fined Ludhiana civic body Rs 3.6 crore.
Tamil Nadu ordered completion of procedures to declare Pulicat Lake sanctuary.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), November 25, 2025 filed a report before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) addressing the concerns on the unregulated and rapid construction along the Uttarkashi-Gangotri route in Uttarakhand, which experts warn is endangering the ecologically fragile Gangotri Dham region.
The report mentioned that the notification for Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ) declaring the entire watershed of about 100 kilometres of River Bhagirathi from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi, covering an area of 4,179.59 square kilometres, was issued by the MoEFCC December 18, 2012.
This was done keeping in view the unique ecosystem of River Bhagirathi and its catchment and also keeping in mind the requirements of the local people, their rights and privileges and for ensuring ecofriendly development of the region and in order that the livelihood and security of the local inhabitants are not adversely affected.
Based on the representation of the state government of Uttarakhand and after due consultation with the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways and India Road Congress, the notification was subsequently amended on April 16, 2018.
Based on the representation received from stakeholders, the notification was further amended on November 10, 2022, delegating the power of approval of Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) to the State Government from the Central Government.
It was further submitted that, the notification on BESZ mandated the government of Uttarakhand to prepare a ZMP to be implemented by the state government under the supervision of the Monitoring Committee and the state government is duty bound to implement the provisions of the Notification, December 18, 2012 in its true spirit.
Further, after necessary deliberations with the stakeholders within the Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources), MoEFCC and Government of Uttarakhand and others, the ministry accorded its approval to the ZMP with certain conditions vide its letter dated August 16, 2020.
As per BESZ Notification, 2012, establishments of hotels and resorts are regulated activities in the eco-sensitive zone. Further, solid wastes are also kept under the category of regulated activities. To ensure compliance with the BESZ Notification, a monitoring committee has been set up.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board has ordered for the imposition of environmental compensation of Rs 3.6 crore on the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana (MCL) as most of the dairy units have not been connected with the sewer network of the effluent treatment plant (ETP).
The municipal corporation has been directed to guide all the dairy units to make the adequate arrangement to separate the liquid waste and cow dung and ensure compliance. This was stated in the status report filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board November 24, 2025.
A decentralised approach should be adopted to lift the cow dung from each dairy and dispose it scientifically. The Municipal Corporation authorities should also explore the possibility of utilisation of land for dumping of cow dung located on Tajpur road to manage cattle dung.
The Municipal Corporation authorities should also explore the possibility of supplying the cow dung to vendors engaged in the vermi composting or any other environmentally sustainable practices, the SPCB said.
The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Ludhiana (PWSSB) should ensure that all the dairy units are connected with the ETP immediately and the ETP is operated efficiently. The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board should also coordinate with the municipal corporation authorities to overcome any of the issues pertaining to the smooth operation of the ETP.
The ETP was commissioned in June 2024 and the ETP was visited by the officers of the Punjab SPCB on September 2, 2024 alongwith the operators of the ETP.
It was observed that most of the dairy units have not been connected with the sewer network of the ETP by the concerned authorities, especially the entire dairies situated around the B block of the ETP are yet to be connected with the ETP.
Although the dairy units of the complex are connected with the conveyance drains of ETP but these drains are yet to be connected with the ETP and presently wastewater of these drains is discharged into Buddha Nallah through by-pass arrangements.
Further, some RCC drains installed by the department to shift the wastewater of the dairy units upto the ETP are having openings into the existing outlets/drains falling into Buddha Nallah.
MCL and the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Ludhiana have commissioned ETP without connecting all dairies with the conveyance system and have intentionally provided by-pass arrangements with its conveyance system to by-pass waste water into Buddha Nallah before arriving the same upto the ETP the SPCB said.
PWSSB informed the SPCB that due to excess cow dung the components of the ETP get choked and need frequent maintenance. Until the biogas plant is not commissioned by the Punjab Energy Development Agency, the ETP will receive excess cow dung and its working will be affected.
Further, all the connection have been made with the drain in front of dairies, but due to inflow of excess cow dung, fodder, plastic bottles, jute bags, ropes and dead animal body parts, the drain overflow and the dairy owners intentionally cause the flow towards the Buddha Nallah. The by-pass arrangement has been provided to tackle the unforeseen situation and that the ETP is under stabilisation.
The district collector, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu filed a report November 25, 2025 before NGT on steps taken to protect Pulicat lake.
The report, November 25, 2025 said that the Tamil Nadu government had issued a notification under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for declaring the area to be a sanctuary called 'Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary' dated September 22, 1980.
In the notification, the Pulicat Lake surrounding 13 villages — Pulicat, Kanavanthurai, Pakkam, Avurivakkam, Siruapakkam, Annamalaicheri, Kallur-Sirumurkuppam, Keerapakkam, Mangodu, Poongulam, Opasthiram, Sunnambukulam and Medipalayam has been notified to be called as the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary.
Subsequently, a draft notification under Wildlife Act 1972 had been notified by the District Collector, Tiruvallur on August 27, 1998 for claiming any rights. In order to protect the Pulicat lake bird sanctuary and its ecosystem as well as to consider the claim of the people in and around the Pulicat lake, a draft re-notification under Wildlife Act, 1972 has been proclaimed on February 29, 2024 for claiming any rights or objections mentioned under section 19 of the Act.
Further action has to be initiated by way of passing an order in the cases regarding claim of right in or over any land under section 19, the District Collector in consultation with the Chief Wildlife Warden would pass an order either admitting or rejecting the same in whole or in part under section 24 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
After all the procedures are done under section 22 to 26 of the Act, the proposal would be sent for declaring the Pulicat lake as a Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. The declaration of the boundaries of the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary under section 26 (A) of the Wildlife Act, 1972 is meant for protecting the Pulicat lake and its biodiversity including species of birds. It is also to avoid the vulnerability of the Pulicat lake from the industrial pollution and other external disturbances.