PIL to protect Yamuna river bed from illegal construction: HC seeks Centre stand

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The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's stand on a plea seeking a direction to authorities to stop illegal constructions on the Yamuna flood plain, near the Nigam Bodh Ghat area here, to protect it from being depleted further.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Yamuna River Development Authority and North Delhi Municipal Corporation, seeking their replies to the PIL by September 25.

The petitioner, N K Gupta, in his plea alleged that a hospital was being constructed illegally on the Yamuna river bed by a registered society -- Sant Parmanand Blind Relief Mission.

In his plea filed through advocate Shivesh Singh, he said that the construction was permitted by changing land use of the area in 2012.

The petition sought directions to the authorities to immediately stop the construction being carried out on the "river bed/flood plain of Yamuna" and protect it from being depleted further by such activities.