Mansi Ganga Kund: NGT asks to control water pollution

The National Green Tribunal has directed the UP pollution control board to ensure prevention of water pollution in Mansi Ganga Kund in Govardhan town and check that no sewage is discharged in the water body.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra Rathore said the Board shall exercise its powers under the Provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution), Act, 1974 by taking action against those who are discharging sewerage or otherwise polluting the water of the 'Kund'.

"The officials of the State Pollution Control Board shall immediately take samples from Mansi Ganga Kund and get it tested as to whether the water is potable, fit for bathing and meet prescribed standards under law. The report shall be submitted within 10 days," the bench said.

The Board shall not allow any sewage to be discharged or domestic waste dumped in Mansi Ganga Kund, the NGT said.

The NGT also directed the District Magistrate of Bharatpur to remain present before it on November 8 and inform it about the compliance of orders relating to the removal of cement tiles at Kacchi Parikrama.

According to legend when Krishna protected the inhabitants of Vraj Vrindavan from the wrath of Indra, he advised them to worship Govardhana hill and they did by way of puja (worship) and a parikrama (circumambulation) around the hill.

Govardhana Hill has a 'Parikrama' of about 23 km and can take five to six hours to complete.

The NGT had earlier said that plying of e-rickshaws in Govardhan without registration is illegal and issued a slew of directions for their regulation in the temple town of Mathura.

The green panel had noted that presently there are 298 battery-operated rickshaws registered in the town of Govardhan and a maximum of 400 only can ply in the city.

"Each rickshaw should be allowed to take four persons only and the fare be fixed at Rs 100 per person. Battery rickshaws should display the permission certificate of the Nagar Panchayat. The rickshaws are to be plied only on the left side of Parikrama Marg. In the entire Parikrama Marg, there would be nine parking places and the rickshaws would be allotted an area," the bench had said.

E-rickshaws shall use such space only for parking and plying of non-registered e-rickshaws in Parikrama Marg would be prohibited, the tribunal had said, adding the transport and police department should take appropriate action against non-registered rickshaws.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Mathura-based Giriraj Parikrama Sanrakshan Sansthan and others seeking compliance of the NGT's August 4, 2015, directions.