(PTI)
The National Green Tribunal today allowed camping at 25 sites along river Ganga in Rishikesh, saying it should be carried out in an eco-friendly manner rather than on a purely commercial basis.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar lifted the ban, which was imposed in December 2015, while accepting the management plan and regulatory regime submitted by the Uttarakhand government.The tribunal, which had prohibited camping activity in the entire belt from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh till the regulatory regime came into force, allowed it on 25 spots out of the 33 recommended by the state.
It rejected eight sites, noting they fell within 100 metres from the middle of the river during the lean season flow.”We hold and declare that the Management Plan and Regulatory Regime as submitted by the Uttarakhand government and as approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) shall come into force forthwith.”We expect that the state will encourage eco-tourism activity… while ensuring that camping activity is carried on in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner rather than on a purely commercial basis with modern luxuries,” the tribunal said.
