Yamuna cleaning:Water Ministry, Namami Gange to file affidavit

The National Green Tribunal today directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Director General of 'Namami Gange' project to file detailed affidavit regarding compliance of its judgement on cleaning of river Yamuna.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said that the complete affidavit should be filed within two weeks and listed the matter for further directions on February 23.
"Yesterday in the Chamber meeting, all stakeholders were present, including the Executive Director (Technical) of Namami Gange. We direct the Ministry of Water Resources and Director General of Namami Gange to file a complete and comprehensive affidavit before the next date of hearing positively, keeping in view judgments of the tribunal dated January 13, 2015 and May 8, 2015 and the order of February 8, 2017," the bench said.

The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by Manoj Kumar Mishra of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan seeking a ban on dumping of rubble into Yamuna and ensuring cleaning up of the river.
The green panel has been monitoring the implementation of its 'Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation project'.
The bench, in its January 2015, verdict had passed a slew of directions including a fine of Rs 5,000 on individuals spotted throwing waste or religious items in the river as it unveiled a plan for its restoration.
It had banned dumping of construction material into Yamuna while imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 on violators, and also restrained real estate developers from carrying out any construction work on floodplains under its "Mailey se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Plan 2017".

The Tribunal had given its nod to the recommendations by two committees, constituted by it, on restoration of the Yamuna banks and storm water drains (SWDs) in Delhi.