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A further progress project report on the Budhi Ganga has already been filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), stated the report by the Chief Engineer (Ganga), Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Uttar Pradesh on January 19, 2026.
The report stated that the director of the NIH, Roorkee, submitted the final floodplain delineation report of the Budhi Ganga to the Executive Engineer, Drainage Division-1, Meerut. It was clarified that the boundary coordinates are the same as earlier, except for minor corrections made in the maps. It was also informed that the project for demarcation of the floodplain zone in Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Hapur districts has been prepared, and the demarcation work is scheduled to be completed by May 31, 2026.
Based on the delineation report, the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has started the physical demarcation of the floodplain zone on the ground. The work is being carried out in phases, in coordination with the concerned district administration. It is being done in a scientific and transparent manner, in compliance with legal requirements. The physical demarcation work is proposed to be completed by May 2026.
The NGT on October 14, 2025, directed Uttar Pradesh to file a further progress report indicating the progress made in the physical demarcation of the floodplain zone of the Budhi Ganga. The applicant, appearing virtually, also raised an issue that the origin point of the river has not been correctly mentioned in the report dated October 13, 2025.
The report also stated that a meeting was held on December 12, 2025, and the project for physical demarcation of the river in Meerut district has been approved in the meeting of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Uttar Pradesh State Flood Council on December 12, 2025, under the Chairmanship of the Union Ministry of Water Resources and the Flood Control Department. The work is proposed to be undertaken immediately upon receipt of budgetary allocation.
The report said the origin point of the Budhi Ganga is at the upstream of the syphon constructed at the Madhya Ganga canal near Deval village in Muzaffarnagar district. When it comes to the source of water, it is to be noted that the Budhi Ganga is a non-perennial river which collects rainwater in the rainy season only from its catchment area.
There is no permanent source of water from which the river could feed throughout the year. There is a barrage constructed across the Ganga in Bijnor district to feed the Madhya Ganga Canal system for irrigation purposes. Sometimes in the dry season, some water slowly seeps out from the ground downstream of the right afflux constructed upstream of the barrage. This water collects into small streams, which then join together and begin flowing into the Budhi Ganga.
The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board on January 19, 2026, filed its report on hospitality establishments such as restaurants, hotels and malls operating in Ghaziabad district without obtaining requisite consent under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
The report by the authority, September 16, 2025, stated that there were 84 units having valid consent to operate (CTO) under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981. Two units have obtained fresh CTO. The number of units whose closure orders/show cause notices have been revoked is 6. Default units not having CTO under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 is 17 and the total number of units identified is 165.
An updated current status of the identified establishments is being filed. The latest report stated that the number of units having valid CTO under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981 is 90 and 6 units have obtained fresh CTO.
The eastern bench of the NGT on January 17, 2026, directed concerned authorities like the State of Jharkhand and the Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum to take appropriate preventive, punitive and remedial measures in discharge of their constitutional and statutory obligations for protection and improvement of environment and directions given by the Supreme Court and the tribunal with respect to proper tapping of sewage falling into storm water drains.
The affidavit filed by the Deputy Commissioner, East Singhbhum on November 10, 2025, stated that the actual position of the encroached land of nalla (drain) should be measured after the rainy season. Thus, some more time is required to submit the factual report.
The report also said that sewage treatment plants are essential to treat the sewage generated from the mohalla (neighbourhood) situated on both sides of the nalla before entering into it. However, treated sewage from the TATA Motors Colony is discharging into the same nalla. No further report has been filed by the Fact Finding Committee.
The NGT directed that the report of the Fact Finding Committee should be filed within one month. The Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum, who is the nodal officer, was directed to ensure that the report of the Fact Finding Committee is filed within one month failing which, the tribunal may be constrained to impose an exemplary cost on him.
The matter related to unlawful encroachment and environmental degradation of a vital government-owned natural nalla which originates from Sundernagar and flows through Birsanagar before entering into the Subarnarekha river and is a crucial natural drainage and ecological system.
It was alleged that the nalla is a vital natural water body flowing through Jamshedpur but untreated domestic sewage and solid waste is allowed to flow into the nalla, causing serious pollution of water and the surrounding area.