Mark flood points along Ganga in 3 weeks: HC

The Allahabad High Court on Friday directed the state government and the Allahabad Development Authority (ADA) to finish the exercise of marking the distance of 500 metres from the highest flood points along the banks of Ganga within three weeks. The court’s directive during the hearing of an application filed by a private builder pointing out that it has been almost nine months since the High Court had passed an order in this regard.

Last August,the high court had directed the ADA not to allow any construction within 500 metres from the highest flood points as it would have detrimental impact on the river’s flow and ecological balance on its floodplain. It had also directed the ADA to identify the highest flood points and earmark a distance of 500 metres from there.

The application,which was part of hearing of the PIL on pollution in Ganga,was filed by M/S Pancham Realcon,a subsidiary of private builder Omaxe,which is coming up with a major residential cluster along the banks of Ganga in Naini,saying the exercise in this regard was yet to be started.

Counsel for the company,S M A Kazmi,said,”In the absence of marks,it becomes difficult to ascertain the distance of 500 metres,in which no construction is supposed to take place.”

The work on a few such projects coming along the river has been stopped due to non-completion of the exercise,he added.