Hearing on a petition regarding alleged encroachment for construction of portions of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh, the High Court has directed the Pauri District Magistrate to conduct a site inspection. The court has also directed the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board to probe within two weeks and submit a report on where the sewerage from the Ashram is disposed, whether it has a sewerage treatment plant if the Ashram has more than 20 rooms and whether the sewerage is being dumped in the Ganga.
The division bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice Alok Kumar Verma has also made the Revenue secretary a party in this case.
High court advocate and Haridwar resident, Vivek Shukla, had filed a public interest litigation in the High Court contending that Parmarth Niketan Swargashram had encroached upon 70 metre land on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh.
During the hearing, the petitioner also said that 800 rooms, a banquet hall and other facilities had been constructed in the said Ashram but the encroachment had not been removed despite a notice.
Noted personalities from India and abroad also frequently visit this place. In the petition, Shukla has also averred that Government land has been encroached upon and along with a walkway on the Ganga, an idol has been place in the river and a commercial building has been constructed and is rented out.
The Ashram collects the rent which causes revenue loss to the Government.
The waste generated here is being dumped into the Ganga, alleged the petitioner.