SC stays NGT asking UP govt to set up shrine board for 3 temples at Govardhan

The Supreme Court Friday stayed the National Green Tribunal's 2015 direction asking the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute a shrine board for three temples in the pilgrimage town of Govardhan in Mathura district.

It also stayed another recent order of the NGT asking A K Awasthi, additional chief secretary of the state, to appear before it for non-compliance of its 2015 order.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for state government, said that the NGT's direction needed to be stayed.

A bench, comprising Justices S A Nazeer and R Subhash Reddy, took note of the submissions of the Uttar Pradesh government.

The apex court on July 29 had agreed to hear the government's plea against the NGT's July 23 order seeking personal appearance of the senior official over delay in constitution of a shrine board for the three temples at Govardhan.

The tribunal on August 4, 2015 had issued directions on several issues including setting up of the shrine board.

It 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.

NGT 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 temples Jatipura, Dhanghati and Mansi Ganga.

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, it said.

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.