NGT summons Mathura DM, SSP ahead of Janamashtami festival

The National Green Tribunal Wednesday summoned the District Magistrate and SSP of Mathura on August 19 to explain the administration's preparedness ahead of the Janamashtami festival.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore posted the matter for hearing after the counsel for the petitioner said there was urgency in the matter as the public is facing great hardship due to serious pollution in the pilgrimage town of Govardhan in Mathura district.

"In the circumstances, we deem it proper to pass appropriate orders in this case at the earliest after hearing all the Parties, including the officers concerned. The District Magistrate, Mathura, SSP-Mathura and SDO-Govardhan shall remain present before the tribunal, on the next date of hearing," the bench said.

The tribunal also noted that it has received a report from the court commissioner, along with the photographs and directed the Registry to place the report on its website so that all the parties may obtain copies of the same.

The green panel had earlier directed the Chief Secretary to explain, as to why the directions of the tribunal have not been complied so far even when a clear commitment was made by the government that the same would be executed expeditiously.

NGT had earlier directed the state government to inform it about the reasons for the delay in constitution of a shrine board for three temples at Govardhan.

It had asked the Additional Chief Secretary to file an affidavit and give details with respect to the steps taken so far for the constitution of a shrine board for the three temples.

The tribunal said the shrine board would solve many problems like proper supervision and management of the temple, including hygiene, and prevent pollution of the environment, cleaning of the area, among others.

The tribunal had earlier rapped state authorities over their failure to remove encroachments from forest land in Govardhan, noting that the Forest Department has removed only four to five encroachments out of the total 33.

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.

The organisation had raised the issue of civic authorities discharging sewage and municipal waste into ponds and other water bodies in Govardhan.