NGT bans dumping of waste within 500 metres of river Ganga

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday banned dumping of any kind of waste within 500 metres from the edge of river Ganga.

The development comes a week after the Supreme Court stayed the Uttarakhand High Court's order declaring river Ganga and Yamuna as a juristic person and a living entity.

In a latest move to protect river Ganga, the apex environment watchdog declared 100 metres from edge of River Ganga as 'No-Development Zone' in the stretch between Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Unnao in UP.

Stating that Uttar Pradesh should be "duty-bound" to shift tanneries from Jajmau to Unnao or any other place it considers appropriate within six weeks, the NGT declared Rs 50,000 on anyone who dumps waste in River Ganga.

The tribunal also directed Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to formulate guidelines for religious activities on ghats of Ganga or its tributaries.

The country's top green court also said that all industrial units falling on the catchments and basin should be prevented from indiscriminate ground water abstraction. "Permissions should be granted only after rigorous examination of water use requirements," NGT said.

It has also formed supervisory committee to oversee implementation of directions passed in its 543-page judgement and submit report to it.

Last month, the NGT's order comes less than a month after it directed the Centre and other stakeholders to clarify their stand on demarcation and encroachments on the floodplains of the Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao.