NGT allows UP govt to renovate guest house near Radha Kund at Mathura

The National Green Tribunal Wednesday allowed the Uttar Pradesh government to renovate an old guest house near Radha Kund at Mathura but restrained it from erecting any new structure in the area.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore, however, directed that visitors or any other person who visit the government guest house shall not bring any vehicles.

"The respondent-state shall renovate the old guest house located in Radha Kund by repairing or reenforcing old foundation and while doing so no new structure shall be raised.

"The pilgrims/public/visitors or any other person who visits the said guest house shall not bring any vehicles. The vehicles would be parked at the point where the parking has been built for people coming to Radha Kund. The pilgrims may use rickshaw for the purpose of covering the distance between the parking place and the old guest house," the tribunal.

It also directed that an open area around the guest house should be developed into a green area by planting trees of suitable species and discharge of municipal solid waste shall be connected to the main sewage of Radha Kund area.

"The respondent-state is directed to ensure that the Parikarma Marg of Radha Kund should not be, in any manner, disturbed or obstructed by renovation of old guest house. 6. The respondent-state shall also establish rainwater harvesting system, in the open area of the said guest house. Solar energy shall be installed to fulfil the requirement of electricity at the guest house," the bench, also comprising expert member S S Garbyal, said.

The tribunal has earlier directed a committee to inspect the twin ponds in Radha and Shyam kund in Mathura after a plea alleged dumping of sewage and domestic waste in them.

The NGT had earlier rapped the Uttar Pradesh government and Mathura district authorities for not complying with its order on construction and felling of trees. It had declared the entire "Parikrama Marg" as a no-construction zone to avoid any encroachment and asked the civic bodies to construct a sewerage system along the holy area.

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