The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a directive to authorities in Uttar Pradesh to collaborate in removing illegal encroachments on the floodplain of the Hindon River in Greater Noida. The decision came during a hearing concerning the discharge of sewage into the river from Shivam Enclave, a residential colony in Greater Noida’s Bisrakh area.
Justice Prakash Shrivastava, NGT Chairperson, alongside judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, expressed concerns over the unauthorized constructions in Shivam Colony. These constructions, according to reports presented by the Greater Noida Development Authority, emerged illegally within the river’s floodplain zone without any formal approvals.
During the tribunal’s hearing, it was revealed that the Greater Noida Development Authority had temporarily used a pipe to discharge sewage into the river, a measure that has since been discontinued. Further discussions between the authority and the state’s irrigation department highlighted discrepancies in responsibility for removing such encroachments. However, the tribunal clarified that it is a collective responsibility of both the state and local authorities to address these infractions.
