Dehradun, April 9 -- National Green Tribunal (NGT) principal bench in New Delhi has directed the concerned state authorities to file an additional response within one month regarding the determination of the floodplain zone of the River Ganga in Rishikesh, a key environmental issue raised in an ongoing case before the tribunal, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The direction was issued during the hearing of an application filed by Rishikesh-based Vipin Nayyar before the tribunal's principal bench on Tuesday. The bench comprising judicial member justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel noted that a substantial environmental question in the matter concerns the determination of the Ganga's floodplain zone in Rishikesh. The petition, filed in 2022 by Vipin Nayyar, sought directions to regulatory authorities for the demolition and removal of Hotel Ganga Forest View and Restaurant Hide Out Cafe, which the petitioner alleged were illegally constructed within the Ganga's floodplain zone in Rishikesh. In his plea, the applicant also urged the tribunal to order remedial measures for the environmental damage allegedly caused due to the constructions. Earlier, in July 2022, the tribunal had constituted a joint committee to examine the allegations and submit a factual report. The committee comprised representatives from the National Mission for Clean Ganga, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority Uttarakhand (SEIAA), Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board, Central Ground Water Authority, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited and the Dehradun district administration. The tribunal had directed the committee to submit a factual and action taken report regarding the alleged encroachment and environmental violations in the floodplain area. During the proceedings on Tuesday, counsel representing state government authorities sought time to file an additional response on the issue. Taking note of the request, the tribunal directed that the additional response regarding determination of the floodplain zone be filed within one month in accordance with provisions of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016. During the hearing, the applicant Vipin Nayyar, who is currently lodged in Tehri district jail in connection with another case, joined the proceedings through video conferencing. The tribunal directed the superintendent of the district jail to make necessary arrangements to enable the applicant to participate in the next hearing through video conferencing as well. Environmental activists say the issue of illegal occupation of floodplains has been raised repeatedly in the hill state. Brahmachari Sudhanand of Matri Sadan Ashram Haridwar said the ashram has for years highlighted the environmental risks posed by commercial and leisure activities taking place on river floodplains. "Matri Sadan ashram has been for years raising the issue of impact and illegal occupation of floodplains for varied commercial and leisure activities. No construction should be allowed in and around river floodplain whatsoever," said Brahmachari Sudhanand. He added that rivers eventually reclaim their floodplains as part of a natural process. "Like in Dharali in Uttarkashi, we saw large-scale destruction of structures and settlements built on the river floodplain. If timely action is not taken in the Rishikesh floodplain zone, a similar natural catastrophe may occur," he said, adding that Matri Sadan has also raised concerns about alleged illegal constructions in parts of Haridwar including Shyampur, Jagjeetpur and Shyampur Kangri. Echoing similar concerns, assistant professor in the department of environmental science at Gurukul Kangri University Gagan Matta said strict implementation of rules governing floodplain areas is crucial in an ecologically sensitive state like Uttarakhand. "Proper safeguarding and implementation of rules is required for floodplain areas, particularly in eco-sensitive parts of the state, whether in hill regions or in floodplain areas such as the Rishikesh-Tons Valley-Raipur belt of Dehradun. Many natural disasters witnessed in the state over the years have occurred along riverbeds or floodplain areas," Matta said. He added that both the government and courts need to be extremely sensitive to the ecological implications of unchecked development. "Commercialisation in the name of development is proving far more dangerous in the long term," he said....