Is the Ganga Under Threat? Supreme Court Seeks Answers on Illegal Encroachments From Centre, Bihar Govt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the illegal constructions on the banks of the Ganges and directed both the Centre and the Bihar government to submit status reports on the steps taken to remove these encroachments.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Vishwanathan issued the order on April 2, while hearing a plea filed by Patna resident Ashok Kumar Sinha, challenging the June 30, 2020 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that had dismissed his petition against illegal constructions on the eco-sensitive floodplains of the Ganga.

'We Would Like to Know What Steps Taken'

“We would like to know what steps have been taken by the authorities to remove all such encroachments over the banks of river Ganga,” the bench said, highlighting the urgency and ecological importance of the matter.

The court also asked for details on the number of existing encroachments as of now and the manner and timeline in which the authorities planned to remove them.

“We direct both the state of Bihar and the Union of India to file an appropriate report so that we can proceed further in the matter,” the court added.

The petitioner, Ashok Kumar Sinha, through his counsel advocate Akash Vashishtha, told the court that there were large-scale unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the Ganga floodplains. These included housing settlements, brick kilns, and religious structures.

Advocate Vashishtha pointed out that some parts of the riverbank were home to rich biodiversity, including the critically endangered freshwater dolphins, and said that immediate attention was required to protect the fragile ecosystem.

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Encroachments Over Banks Requires Immediate Attention

“There are large-scale encroachments all over the banks which requires immediate attention,” Vashishtha told the bench, emphasizing the environmental degradation caused by these illegal activities.

The plea also argued that the NGT had dismissed the case without examining the detailed records of the violators and the extent of encroachments on the floodplains.

Taking the submissions seriously, the Supreme Court issued notices to both the Centre and Bihar government and asked them to file detailed reports within four weeks. The matter has been posted for hearing after four weeks, giving the authorities time to compile the necessary data and action plans.