Why in news?
National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave its directions to a PIL petition of which was transferred to the NGT from the Supreme Court in 2014.
What the NGT mandates?
- An area of 100 metres from the edge of the Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao has been declared a ‘No Development Zone’.
- Till the demarcation of floodplains and identification of permissible and non-permissible activities by the State government, the ‘No Development Zone’ is to be followed.
- All industrial units in the catchment areas of the Ganga should be stopped from indiscriminate groundwater extraction.
- Mechanical mining will be banned.
- Dumping of waste within 500 metres of the river is proibited.
- Rs. 50,000 fine will be imposed on anyone dumping waste in the river.
- It also directed the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of the Ganga and its tributaries.
- Tanneries from Jajmau in Kanpur should be shifted to leather parks in Unnao within a period of six weeks,.
- A supervisory committee was appointed to oversee implementation of the directions passed in its verdict.
Source: The Hindu
