Geo-mapping unauthorised constructions on Ganga floodplains in Patna: Govt

Centre told the Supreme Court that steps have been taken to identifying unauthorised constructions on the ecologically fragile floodplains of the Ganga river in Patna using geo-mapping technology

Steps have been taken for identifying unauthorised constructions on the ecologically fragile floodplain of the Ganga in Patna by using geo-mapping technology, the Union government has told the Supreme Court.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Patna resident Ashok Kumar Sinha against June 30, 2020 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissing his petition against illegal constructions and permanent encroachments on the floodplain.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia the exercise will take time.

"Additional Solicitor General apprises this Court that steps have been taken by the concerned Ministry for identifying unauthorised constructions, if any, on the flood of the river plain Ganga in and around the location over which complaints have been made by the appellant by using Geo Mapping technology and it will take sometime to complete this process," the bench noted.

The top court directed the Centre to submit a report and listed the matter for hearing after six weeks.

The petitioner has contended that the tribunal passed the order without examining the detailed particulars of the violators encroaching upon the floodplain submitted by the appellant.

The illegal and unauthorized constructions and permanent encroachments on the floodplain of Ganga are creating tremendous amounts of waste, noise and generating vast quantum of sewage.

They are aggravating the risk to life and property of the dwellers occupying the surroundings since every year the areas stated in preceding paras go down under flood waters. The illegal constructions were obstructing the natural course of the river, said the plea filed through advocate Akash Vashishtha.

The plea said the encroachments were causing a deleterious environmental impact on the rich biodiversity and destroying the habitat and, thereby, the very survival of Dolphins, a Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, on the stretch.

It said the tribunal failed to take note of the fact that a clean Ganga river was vital and essential to meeting the drinking water and domestic needs of 5.5 lakh population of the city as the groundwater in the district was contaminated with Arsenic.

A massive 520 acres of ecologically sensitive Ganga floodplain, stretching from Nauzer Ghat to Nurpur Ghat, in Patna, have been usurped. This stretch is prone to recurrent floods every year. A multi-storey building, belonging to the Takhat Shri Harmandir Sahib, has further come up since 2017 and parts thereof are still under construction, the plea said.