Dehradun, April 19 -- Uttarakhand High Court's directives and those issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding action against encroachments on riverbeds in Doon Valley have pushed the administration into action, but the issue is largely influenced by unwanted political interference and vote bank politics.

It may be recalled that rampant illegal encroachments along the banks of the Rispana and Bindal Rivers in Doon have become a flashpoint for environmental degradation, demographic transformation, and administrative paralysis in Uttarakhand's capital. While the High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have repeatedly directed the state government to act decisively, enforcement remains inconsistent, hindered by political...