Poor sanitation at Govardhan Parvat

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 19, 2019 expressed displeasure over absence of officers at temples and areas in Govardhan Parvat like Parikrama Marg, Mansi Ganga, Daan Ghati and other temples that are, cleanliness wise, in a dismal state. The tribunal was hearing a case on the poor state of sanitation at the hill.

Court Commissioner Anand V Shukla visited the site on two festivals and reported that the religious place follows no rules when it comes to cleaning garbage and removing it from temples. Also, he reported that sound systems played there whole night, without any check.

As the festival of Janmashtami is near, the NGT directed Mathura’s district magistrate, senior superintendent of police, sub-divisional magistrate and other concerned officers “to camp at Govardhan for two days — August 20 and 21 — and ensure that all garbage, and other issues of cleanliness in Parikrama and other temples be resolved”.

Since Parikrama Marg is in Rajasthan, the tribunal asked Bharatpur’s divisional commissioner, SP and SDO-Deeg to appear before it on August 28, the next date of hearing.

Environment audit on ship breaking method

The NGT asked the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to conduct an environment audit on the impact of ship-breaking method within three months.

The tribunal, in its order of August 19, 2019, said the audit has to be conducted either by the National Institute of Oceanography or National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and should be in compliance of Coastal Regulation Zone notification. The study has to be completed within three months.

Source: Down To Earth