The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slammed the Uttarakhand government and the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for their failure to provide a list of illegal construction along the river banks and other ecologically-sensitive sites.
The Uttarakhand government has not responded to the NGT demand for a listing of unauthorised construction which would be the first step in monitoring the rebuilding and reconstruction on eco-sensitive land.
The NGT has also restrained construction in the 100 kilometre stretch of the Bhagirathi river which has been declared an eco-sensitive zone. Another first by the NGT is its demand that the state list out the fines it would impose on those responsible for accelerating the damage caused by these floods.
The NGT has also directed the MoEF to nominate a monitoring committee within the next one week which will supervise the renovation and construction work in the flood-affected areas.
The state government had taken the plea that since it is busy providing relief and because of inclement weather, they have not been able to fulfil the directive of the NGT.
But NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar pointed out that unless the authorities, including the Central Pollution Control Board, the Border Roads Organisation and the environment ministry put their heads together and come up with a unified reconstruction package, there was every likelihood that the unplanned growth would mushroom once again.
The NGT has insisted both the director-general, BRO, and the chairman, National Highways Authority of India, file personal affidavits stating whether any ecological and environmental study had been undertaken prior to building a road or for road widening.