The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday directed the UP government to remove all construction material from the Yamuna riverbed in Vrindavan and debarred it from carrying out any further works without its approval. A bench headed by Justice Raghvendra S Rathore and S S Garbyal ordered that the work being carried out by the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department for artificial riverfront project and underwater intercept drain project can proceed only after obtaining approval from TTZ authorities and a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the UP Pollution Control Board.

The Uttar Pradesh government, under the Vrindavan rejuvenation project, had proposed “expansion, renovation and beautification” work on a three-kilometre riverfront from Kesi Ghat to Yamuna downstream. The project, which proposes expansion of Kesi ghat by 750 metres into the river’s floodplain, also involves a mechanism to clean tributaries entering the river and construct interceptor drains to counter overflow of sewage into the river.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by nature enthusiast Akash Vashishtha, who claimed that reclamation of the eco-sensitive Yamuna floodplain is being carried out in gross violation of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the provisions of the EIA Notification of 2006.

The plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, stated that the project was encroaching the river floodplains in order to create space for a new ghat and an interceptor pipeline.

This expansion was taking place over and above the already encroached land consisting of illegal colonies and other construction projects