Govardhan: NGT exempts from appearance UP official busy with Defence Expo

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday exempted UP Additional Chief Secretary from appearance in a case pertaining to compliance of its directions in the pilgrimage town of Govardhan in Mathura.

A bench, comprising Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and expert member S S Garbyal, allowed the application moved by official Awanish Kumar Awasthi seeking exemption from appearance.

Awasthi said the Defence Expo is scheduled to be held at Lucknow from February 5 to 9, 2020 and it is to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India.

As Awasthi is coordinating the work of the Expo, he is unable to appear on Wednesday, the plea said, adding that he can appear on any other day after February 9, 2020.

"Having regard to the contents of the application and the submissions made by the learned Advocate Solicitor General, we deem it proper to allow the same. The officer is directed to appear on the next date of hearing," the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on February 12.

The NGT had earlier taken strong exception to non-appearance of a UP government officer for the third time to apprise it about execution of its order issued five years ago pertaining to the pilgrimage town of Govardhan in Mathura, saying the state cannot delay proceedings "in the garb of maintaining law and order".

The green panel said its directions given in the final order require immediate compliance for the benefit of the public at large.

It said it had sought appearance of the officers as expeditious execution of its order is necessary because delay in execution has far reaching repercussions on lakhs of people who visit Giriraj Parikarma everyday, specially on Amavasya and Poornima of every month.

The NGT had earlier slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for moving at "snail's speed" on construction of a service road for the pilgrims around Parikrama Marg at Govardhan.

The tribunal had earlier directed the UP Pollution Control Board to ensure prevention of water pollution in Mansi Ganga Kund in Govardhan town, Mathura District, and check that no sewage is discharged in the water body.

The sacred Govardhana Hill has a 'Parikrama' (the ritual of walking clockwise around an symbol of devotion) of about 23 km and can take five to six hours to complete.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Mathura-based Giriraj Parikrama Sanrakshan Sansthan and others seeking compliance of the NGT's August 4, 2015, directions.