Uttarakhand's Pilgrim Sites: NGT Seeks Action Taken Report Against Violation Of Environmental Norms

The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the authorities, including the District Magistrates of Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, to submit the action taken report in compliance with the Tribunal's earlier directions issued for remedies to be taken against violations of environmental norms at Uttarakhand's pilgrimage sites.

“The contention as raised by the learned Counsel for the applicant shows that the orders have not been complied with and no remedial action has been taken. In view of above, UEP&PCB and District Magistrates, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi are directed to submit the action taken report in compliance of the order dated 08.02.2023 quoted above within three weeks,” said the bench of Acting Chairperson Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Dr. A. Senthil Vel.

Shashikanth Purohit had filed the execution plea stating that the Tribunal’s order passed in February wherein it directed the remedial action against large scale, unregulated violations of environmental norms along with pilgrim tracks of Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib, Yamunotri and Gomukh pilgrimage centres in Uttarakhand.

A Committee was constituted, which found that, “solid and plastic waste management is very poor in the pilgrim tracks, viz. Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Saheb.”

In February, the Tribunal observed “the report shows serious failure on the part of Administration in the State in breach of its Constitutional responsibility for which accountability needs to be fixed and the situation remedied on war footing for protection of environment in fragile eco-system of Himalayas and upholding the principle of sustainable development.”

Accordingly, we allow this application and direct the State to forthwith take effective remedial measures in the matter. A joint Committee of Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Forest, Uttarakhand, DGP, Uttarakhand, Director, G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development, Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, District Magistrates, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, Chairmen, Zila Panchayats, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi Districts may meet within 15 days from today to take stock of the situation and prepare road map, the Tribunal had said.

The Tribunal noted that according to the applicant, “no steps have been taken to take remedial measures by the authorities concerned.”

In the light of the above the NGT, directed to file action taken report in compliance of order passed in february within three weeks.

While posting the matter for September 04, NGT said, “We further direct Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Forest, Uttarakhand to furnish status on meeting/review conducted by the Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand in three weeks.”

Case Title: Urvashi Shobhna Kachari v. Union of India & Ors.

Applicant: Raj Panjwani, Senior Advocate with Ms. Esha Dutta, Advs. for Applicant in E.A 27/2023

Respondent: Rahul Verma, AAG for the State of Uttarakhand Mr. Mukesh Verma, Adv. for UKPCB

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