Physically mark 1k km of Yamuna floodplains across 17 dists: NGT to UP govt

Agra: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the UP govt to physically demarcate the Yamuna floodplains by installing markers every 200 metres along a 1,056km stretch across 17 districts by July 30, emphasising that visible physical markers — not just geo-coordinates — are necessary to make floodplain boundaries understandable to the public.

The directions were issued on Friday in response to a petition filed by Agra-based environmentalist Dr Sharad Gupta, who raised concerns about the destruction of the eco-sensitive Yamuna ravines, including areas as close as 800 metres from the Taj Mahal.

Gupta told TOI, "The previous Central Water Commission report had relied solely on geo-coordinates, which common people found difficult to comprehend. This move will help prevent encroachments by making floodplain boundaries clearly visible. In Agra, where the Yamuna flows for 167km, the floodplain extends up to 5.09km on the right bank and 2.5km on the left. The July 30 deadline is crucial for ensuring clarity on where construction is permissible."

The 17 districts included in NGT's directive are: Gautam Buddh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Jalaun, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, and Prayagraj.

In Feb, the Central Water Commission demarcated the Yamuna floodplains using satellite imagery provided by a Hyderabad-based remote sensing agency. The result was a 521-page report with geospatial data submitted to NGT for review.