The National Green Tribunal has accepted the recommendation made by an expatriate committee on the issue related to the protection of the environment at Govardhan, a pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh near Mathura-Vrindavan.
The three-judge bench of the NGT headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel accepted the recommendations made by the oversight committee, saying, “We see no reason for not accepting the recommendations of the oversight committee.”
The committee made the following recommendations: –
1. There is a need to improve progress regarding some essential environmental protection measures like development of permanent dumping sites around Govardhan / Radhakund, protection around protected forest sewage / drainage network.
2. There is a need to expedite the construction of Radhakund bypass. There is a need for greater readiness to start work on the service road. There is a need to expedite the construction of multi-level parking.
3. The action plan for cleaning 9 kunds should be made without delay. There is a need to intensify the study being done by NEERI.
4. All encroachments on the circumambulation route need to be removed. Active efforts are made to leave the stay orders.
5. The status of investigation in case of encroachment by the Braj Foundation should be reported to the NGT.
6. The Chief Secretary, UP should review the progress to ensure inter-departmental coordination at least once in a quarter.
The Principal Bench of the Green Tribunal consisted of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and Expert Member Nagin Nanda disposing of the petition filed by the Giriraj Parikrama Institute, while these instructions were given.
