Very poor management of solid waste, including dumped dung, on the way to the Vaishno Devi shrine besides in Jammu and Katra towns has led the National Green Tribunal to ask top officials of the shrine board and civic bodies to appear before it next month.
In another hearing, the green panel on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre and all States on a plea seeking to maintain a minimum of 15 per cent river flow downstream by hydroelectric projects across the country.
In the first case, the bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar issued notices to Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, CEOs of Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Katra Municipality, the presidents of unions of workers deployed along the route from Katra to Bhawan, president of union of horse owners amongst others.
Further, Member secretary of Pollution Control Board, owners of private properties located on the banks of river Ban Ganga and those providing sheds for pilgrims and throwing waste into the river, were also issued notices.
The panel has sought complete action plan on collection, transportation and disposal of all solid waste asking them to be present before it on the next date of hearing of the case on December 2.
In the second hearing, the Tribunal on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre and all States on a plea seeking to maintain a minimum of 15 per cent river flow downstream by hydroelectric projects across the country.
The bench issued notice to Environment Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board besides pollution control boards of all states seeking their response by December 14.
This comes in the wake of a petition contending that the flow of water in rivers is required to be maintained by hydroelectric projects across the country to ensure that the river ecosystem remains balanced.
The petition cited the Uttrakhand tragedy in 2013 as recent example of the outcome of imbalances created by such hydro-power projects and their long term environmental impacts.
The plea added that such activities decrease the flow in the river during the lean season. This causes problems like scarcity of drinking water, lack of water for agriculture. This also results in unnatural death of water bodies due to lowering of underground water table.