The National Green Tribunal on Thursday barred construction of buildings within 200 metres along the banks of the Ganga in Uttarakhand till further orders to protect pollutants from being discharged into the river. “We direct that no corporation, authority or panchayat shall grant permission for construction of buildings, houses, hotels or any structures within 200 metres of the shore of the Ganga at the highest flood line without prior approval from the tribunal,” said a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar.
The panel’s direction came on a petition by advocate MC Mehta, who has filed the plea for the cleaning of the Ganga and suggested that in Western countries rivers are protected from pollution by creating a buffer zone on the banks where no construction is allowed.
During the hearing, Mehta said that National Ganga River Basin Authority could purchase land on the banks of river like National Highway Authority of India does to build roads.