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The National Green Tribunal (NGT), November 7 took a serious view of the construction of residential plots with a “private Ganga ghat” in Haridwar. The tribunal had suo motu registered an original application on the basis of an advertisement revealing residential plots were being constructed in Haridwar on the bank of Ganga.
The NGT directed a notice to be issued to the secretary for Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board, National Mission for Clean Ganga, district magistrate for Haridwar and Ganga Heritage, the Project Proponent, Haridwar.
The district magistrate has been directed to carry out the spot inspection and file a status report before January 22, 2024.
Ganga Heritage advertisements, titled Residential Plots with Private Ganga Ghat Starts 25 Lakhs| NH 34 – 5 minutes, dated April 27, 2023 and October 30, 2023. They were for the residential plots with private ghats on National Highway 34. The plots would be in violation of the River Ganga Rejuvenation, Protection and Management Authorities Order, 2016, which prohibits construction in the riverbed.
The NGT admitted an appeal filed by Special Protection Group (SPG) seeking a direction to the transport department of the Delhi government / registering authority to allow the extension of the registration period of three specialised armoured vehicles by five years until December 23, 2029.
The registration of these diesel vehicles is going to expire on December 24, 2024 upon completion of 10 years. An application to the Delhi government for the extension was rejected on June 6, 2023.
The counsel for the SPG said a notification dated January 16, 2023 issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had incorporated Rule 52A in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The rule said, “The restriction will not apply to special purpose vehicles (armoured and other specialised vehicles) used for operational purposes for defence of the country and for maintenance of law and order and internal security”.
The NGT directed a notice to be issued to the transport department and the Delhi government and the matter was listed for January 19, 2024.
The NGT, on November 7, directed a notice to be issued to the CPCB, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, Rajasthan irrigation department and the district magistrate of Kota to submit their response on allegations of damage to the river Chambal due to concretisation of the riverbed at Kota.
The application was registered on the basis of the letter petition sent by Ram Prasad Agarwal, resident of Srinathpuram, Kota. The illegal activity was being done at the instance of a politician, causing damage to the biodiversity and riverine life, the applicant alleged.