AGRA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sent notices to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the Uttar Pradesh government, the Mathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation, and other agencies regarding severe pollution in the Yamuna River and illegal constructions along its banks.
This action comes after a petition by Vijay Kishore Goswami of the Braj Vrindavan Devalaya Samiti, who raised concerns about untreated sewage, industrial waste, and encroachment on floodplains. Despite NGT’s 2021 orders for improved sewage treatment and ecosystem protection, violations reportedly persist.
The petitioners provided a comprehensive 95-page affidavit that included water quality reports and geo-tagged photographs demonstrating drains emptying into the river and ongoing construction projects. Counsel Akash Vashishtha informed the tribunal that the Yamuna is classified as ‘Category D’ under CPCB standards, making it unsuitable for bathing or domestic use.
The NGT has requested detailed responses from various agencies, including CPCB, UPPCB, MVDA, Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and the National Mission for Clean Ganga, ahead of the next hearing scheduled for August.
