New Delhi [India], August 24 (ANI): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated suo motu proceedings on the premise of a printed report highlighting an IIT-Roorkee examine which finds that groundwater, and never glacier soften, sustains the Ganga’s summer season movement, significantly past the Himalayan foothills as much as Patna.
A bench comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel, and Expert Member Dr. Prashant Gargava took cognisance of the problem throughout the listening to held on August 20.
According to the examine, isotope evaluation of the Ganga and its tributaries exhibits that glacier soften contributes minimally to the river’s discharge as soon as it enters the plains. Instead, groundwater performs the dominant position, enhancing the river’s quantity by practically 120 per cent. The examine additionally factors out that roughly 58 per cent of the water is misplaced to evaporation throughout the summer season season.
It additional means that initiatives corresponding to Namami Gange and Jal Shakti Abhiyan ought to emphasise groundwater recharge, aquifer administration, wetland restoration, and revival of tributaries to make sure perennial movement.
The Tribunal noticed that the matter displays potential violations below the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and includes important considerations about adherence to environmental norms and statutory provisions.
Referring to the Supreme Court judgment in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha and Others (2021), the bench reiterated its energy to take up points suo motu.
The Tribunal has impleaded 4 companies as respondents within the case: the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; the National Mission for Clean Ganga; and the Central Ground Water Board.
Each of the respondents has been directed to submit their replies by the use of affidavit no later than one week earlier than the following scheduled listening to. If any reply is submitted immediately with out authorized illustration, the accountable official have to be current nearly to help the Tribunal throughout proceedings. The matter is scheduled for additional listening to on November 10, 2025. (ANI)