The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently passed an order for the restoration of three historical ponds in Bihar’s Darbhanga town.
The three ponds, namely, Dighi, Harai, and Ganga Sagar, are to be restored to their pristine glory, it said.
As per the NGT’s order, a copy of which is in possession of HT, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the additional chief secretary of the department of environment, Bihar.
The committee has been directed to address the observations and recommendations made in the inspection report of the previous committee constituted by the NGT and take expeditious remedial measures. The committee has also been instructed to remove the encroachments expeditiously and ensure that the three ponds are restored to their pristine glory.
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“All illegal constructions leading into the three ponds and encroachments shall be removed within three months. Those constructions which are governed by an interim order of the Patna high court (HC), shall be subject to any final order which may be passed by the HC,” said the order.
The order dated March 23, 2023, was passed by the bench of judicial member Amit Sthalekar and executive member A Senthil Vel, NGT, Eastern Zone, Kolkata.
The NGT’s order came in the wake of the report submitted by an inspection committee, which was constituted by the NGT in response to a petition filed by the Talaab Bachao Abhiyaan (TBA), said Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, counsel for TBA.
“It’s very significant decision. We are quite happy with the outcome,” Mishra said on Wednesday.
“There are three large ponds situated in the heart of the city in a straight line, one after another from north to south. These ponds cover a distance of 1.8 kilometres when combined”, informed TBA convenor Narayan Jee Choudhary.
“As of now, we hope that authority will ensure compliance of NGT order in set time frame,” he added.
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The committee which constitutes top state departments has also been directed by the NGT to improve the sewage system to prevent the flowing of municipal waste into these ponds.
The committee shall hold its first meeting within fifteen days of the order and hold meetings regularly every four months for appraisal of the remedial actions proposed and taken from time to time, the NGT order read.
The NGT has further directed the Bihar State Pollution Control Board to take water samples every six months to check the quality of the water in the ponds.
