NGT declares area within 100 metres of Ganga as 'no development zone'

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declared all area within 100 metres of the river Ganga as 'no development zone.'

In a 543-page order, the green panel has ordered no landfill sites or garbage dumping within half-a-kilometre area of the Ganga between Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.

The bench also announced, on Thursday, a penalty of Rs 50,000 on anyone dumping waste near the river.

The announcement was made by the tribunal during the hearing of a petition regarding the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Ganga, stated NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar.

Kumar also said that a huge amount of money had been spent on cleaning the river but desired results were not visible.

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The NGT had in April directed 13 polluting industries situated along the tributary or major drain of the Ganga river to be shut down.

In December, it imposed a ban on the use of plastic from Gomukh to Haridwar along the river.