To ensure this the Tribunal has entrusted state governments the task of monitoring and regulating rafting activity. It asked the state governments of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to create actions plans for identifying rafting camps.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed some significant orders on Thursday relating to conservation of river Ganga, rafting and camping in Uttarakhand. The green court has banned camping activity from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand with immediate effect while it has allowed rafting in the river.
Further, the bench also banned mechanised riverbed mining in Ganga up to Haridwar and put in place a complete prohibition on use of plastic in the 140-km belt between Gaumukh and Haridwar. This ban will come into effect from February 1 next year and its violation will attract a fine of Rs.5,000.
River rafting on the banks of Ganga from Shivpuri to Rishikesh is a popular tourist attraction in Uttarakhand and the Tribunal had stopped rafting activity for a while now. Petitioners against rafting activity had claimed that rafting camps being temporary in nature did not have adequate sewage and sanitation facilities and led to disturbance in the river and wildlife ecology.
Petitioners had added that a lot of trash is left behind as there is consumption of food and alcohol. While allowing resumption of rafting, NGT observed that it does not harm the environment and hence should be permitted but with a caveat that the rafting camps in Uttarakhand should be temporary in nature and will be allowed only on identified sites.
To ensure this the Tribunal has entrusted state governments the task of monitoring and regulating rafting activity. It asked the state governments of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to create actions plans for identifying rafting camps.
With regards to banning plastic, it also added that between Gaumukh and Haridwar all ashrams, dharamshalas will have to be mindful about solid waste management. Any kind of dumping of waste in Ganga from these sites would attract environment compensation, the green court said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Gaumukh")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}