The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the operation of an order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordering demolition of renovated ponds in the pilgrimage town of Govardhan in Uttar Pradesh.
Since the ponds were renovated by a NGO Braj Foundation, the Tribunal raised a technical objection that the NGO could not have developed the same although the NGO claimed it had permission from the Gram Panchayats of the adjoining villages.
The Vacation Bench of Justices lN Rao and M Mohan Shantanagouder directed stay of the May 25 order of NGT after it heard the petitioner’s lawyer senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He argued that the NGT’s approach was a wrong method as the NGO with established credentials had taken the right step to beautify and develop the kunds (ponds). He further stated that by demolishing the ponds, the whole public purpose of ecologically restoring the water bodies will be lost.
The Tribunal had in its order categorically said that no private individual, organisation or NGO can undertake the work of preservation and restoration of water bodies. Moreover, the road on which these ponds were situated had earlier been declared a “no-construction” zone.