{"id":240318,"date":"2020-12-08T17:54:30","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T12:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=240318"},"modified":"2021-01-08T13:19:38","modified_gmt":"2021-01-08T07:49:38","slug":"flashback-ngt-read-the-decision-highlighting-the-impact-of-rafting-and-camping-sites-on-environment-does-camping-falls-under-the-ambit-of-non-forest-activity-detailed-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2020\/12\/08\/flashback-ngt-read-the-decision-highlighting-the-impact-of-rafting-and-camping-sites-on-environment-does-camping-falls-under-the-ambit-of-non-forest-activity-detailed-report\/","title":{"rendered":"[Flashback] NGT | Read the decision highlighting the impact of rafting and camping sites on environment: Does camping fall under the ambit of ‘non-forest’ activity? || Detailed report"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rafting per se does not cause any serious pollution of river or environment.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

National Green Tribunal (NGT): <\/strong>The Bench of Justice Swatanter Kumar (Chairperson) and M.S. Nambiar (Judicial Member), Dr D.K. Agarwal (Expert Member) and Prof. A.R. Yousuf (Expert Member), allows rafting at Rishikesh but bans camping activity.<\/p>\n

Reason for filing the present application<\/span><\/h3>\n

Being aggrieved by the haphazard and unregulated licensing of the river rafting camps operating in river Ganga from Shivpuri to Rishikesh on one hand which is a serious source of pollution of pristine river Ganga on one hand and encroachment and degrading of various areas, on the other hand, the instant application was filed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The applicant organization has been raising various issues with regard to environmental protection across the country.<\/p>\n

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Rafting and Camping<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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In northern India, rafting is commonly exercised on the river Ganges near Rishikesh and the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh. Recent times have witnessed that the said area has been denoted as eco-tourism zone namely Kaudiyala-Tapovan eco-tourism zone where various activities besides rafting and camping have been permitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Activities of camping and rafting in a very huge number has caused excessive pressure on the river. On the said sites, either there are no toilet facilities, making people defecate in the open or where they exist they are in the nature of pit disposal.<\/p>\n

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Causes of Pollution\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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During monsoon, the discharge remains to flow into the river, thereby causing pollution and interfering in the river eco-system. The tourists and rafters also throw polythene, wrappers and various kinds of bottles on the sites and on the river bed which ultimately flow into the river. Ganga is also polluted because of high use of detergents, soaps and shampoo.<\/p>\n

State Government’s approach is violative of the doctrine of public trust as enunciated by the Supreme Court in the decision of\u00a0M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath,\u00a0<\/em>(1997) 1 SCC 388<\/a> and\u00a0Centre for Environment Law v. Union of India,\u00a0<\/em>(2013) 8 SCC 234<\/a>.<\/p>\n