NGT finds Varanasi Tent City violated environmental norms

NGT Rules Tent City on Ganga Riverbed Violated Environmental Laws

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) stated that a ‘Tent City’ on the Ganga riverbed in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was established and operated in violation of environmental laws. This was noted in a recent order by the tribunal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project on January 13, 2023. He said, “With the Tent City, tourists and devotees coming to Kashi now have an incredible means of accommodation.”

The NGT’s order, dated January 8, mentioned that the Tent City, operated by two private companies, violated environmental norms and the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016. The tribunal stated that environmental compensation has been levied but not recovered, and it should be recovered quickly.

The Principal Bench of the NGT, which includes chairperson Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel, was reviewing an application claiming that the Tent City polluted the riverbed and river water. The applicant also alleged that sewage from the Tent City was discharged directly into the river.

The NGT ordered that government authorities must ensure no future Tent City violates the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, or applicable environmental norms.

The applicant claimed that the Tent City was set up in the area of the “Kachhua Wildlife Sanctuary,” which was illegally de-notified in 2020. The NGT noted that the de-notification issue is pending before the Supreme Court and decided not to address it.

In a report submitted to the NGT in October 2023, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) stated that the application for prior approval for the Tent City project was made after the project was already implemented in 2022.

The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) developed the Tent City in a public-private partnership to enhance tourism in the region. The project offered luxurious accommodations to meet the increased tourist demand, especially after the Kashi Vishwanath Dham inauguration.

Tourists could access the Tent City by boats from nearby ghats. The Tent City was intended to operate from October to June each year and be dismantled for three months during the monsoon when the Ganga’s water level rises.