NGT seeks report on waste management along Uttarakhand's pilgrim tracks

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the authorities concerned to submit within three weeks an action-taken report regarding compliance with its earlier directions for waste management along Uttarakhand's four pilgrim tracks.

The tribunal was hearing a petition claiming non-compliance with the February order that directed remedial action for violations of environmental norms, particularly waste management, along the four pilgrim tracks of Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib, Yamunotri and Gomukh.

The tribunal had formed a panel and directed the authorities concerned to take stock of the situation, prepare a roadmap and take measures, including reviewing and planning infrastructure, for waste management.

A bench of Acting Chairperson Justice SK Singh noted that a direction for "further action" had been issued to the committee, comprising the state's chief secretary, additional chief secretary, director-general of police, the district magistrates of Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, and others.

On Tuesday, the bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, directed the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board and the Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi district magistrates to submit within three weeks the "action taken report in compliance with the tribunal's order dated February 8, 2023".

"We further direct the additional chief secretary, environment and forest, to furnish status on meeting/review conducted by the committee under the chairmanship of the chief secretary in three weeks," the bench said in its Tuesday order.

The matter has been posted to September 4 for further proceedings.