New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) The Supreme Court has ordered maintenance of status quo on construction activities allegedly being carried out in the Yamuna river channel in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan, saying its primary concern was to ensure that the ecological flow of the river is maintained.
A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan passed the direction while hearing an intervention application raising concerns over ongoing construction in the Yamuna river channel in Vrindavan, Mathura district, in a pending appeal concerning illegal constructions and encroachments on the banks and floodplains of the Ganga.
Observing that the issues raised in the interlocutory application required serious consideration, the top court said: “What has been highlighted in the interlocutory application is something very serious. It is a matter of concern. We have been made to understand that the construction which is going on will ultimately lead to shrinking of the river channel of the river Yamuna in Vrindavan District, Mathura, State of Uttar Pradesh.”
“Our concern is to ensure that the ecological flow of water is maintained,” the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench added.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted that more time was required to place on record a comprehensive report regarding encroachments and implementation of the court’s earlier directions, stating that while some states had furnished information, it was not satisfactory and some others were yet to respond.
Granting one final opportunity, the Supreme Court said: “We grant one last opportunity to all the States to furnish the necessary information to the Union, failing which we shall be compelled to summon the Chief Secretary of each of those States before this Court.”
It also expanded the scope of the proceedings by adding Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to the list of states from which information has been sought.
Further, expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of progress in removing encroachments in Patna despite its earlier directions, the apex court observed: “We are informed that till this date, no steps have been taken to remove the encroachments.”
It granted six weeks to the Bihar government “to ensure that every unauthorised structures/construction and the encroachments are removed between Nauzar Ghat to Nurpur Ghat in Patna”.
The Justice Pardiwala-led Bench directed that a compliance affidavit be filed before the next hearing and cautioned, “Any laxity in this regard will be viewed strictly.”
Taking note of submissions that interim orders passed by various courts were preventing the authorities from acting against encroachments, the apex court clarified that “Irrespective of any order that may be in operation, our directions shall be fully complied with.”
Earlier, in March this year, the Supreme Court had sought a comprehensive status report on illegal constructions and encroachments along the banks and floodplains of the Ganga across Ganga basin states, observing that the issue extended beyond Bihar and required coordinated action.
It had directed the Union government, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and the states through which the river flows to furnish details of existing encroachments, action taken for their removal, implementation of the 2016 Ganga protection notification, and measures to keep the riverbanks and floodplains free from illegal occupation.
–IANS
pds/dan
