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The Uttarakhand High Court recently issued a firm directive to halt all construction activities in the vicinity of Dehradun Rispana and Bindal rivers if they lack valid building map approvals. The court acted in response to a series of public interest litigations (PILs) highlighting widespread encroachments and unchecked construction that threaten local ecosystems. The bench demanded clarity on past authorisations granted in certain cases and scheduled key state officials to appear in the next hearing. The government, meanwhile, reported its action plan to remove encroachments and enforce environmental safeguards, while municipal authorities claimed to have cleared over 1,000 hectares of encroached land.
The Uttarakhand High Court recently directed an immediate suspension of any construction activity carried out without approved maps near the Rispana and Bindal rivers in Dehradun. This move came in response to several public interest litigations (PILs) highlighting environmental degradation, illegal encroachments, and unregulated construction in the area. Advertisement
The bench, comprising Chief Justice G R Narendar and Justice Ashish Naithani, was hearing petitions filed by residents Ajay Narayan Sharma, Reenu Paul, and Urmila Thapar. During the proceedings, the court questioned the approval of maps for two prominent individuals in Vikasnagar and ordered the submission of documentation regarding their construction authorisations. This followed an adverse report submitted by the local sub-divisional magistrate.
The state government informed the court that it had planned to eliminate all encroachments along the banks of rivers and streams in Dehradun by the end of June. The court, after reviewing several official documents in Hindi, instructed that English translations be provided for further consideration. It also summoned the virtual presence of senior government officials in the next hearing, including the principal secretary of forests and the secretaries of irrigation, revenue, and urban development departments.
In its compliance report, the government disclosed that high-mast lighting and CCTV cameras had been installed near several natural water sources of the Rispana and Bindal rivers. Additionally, an awareness campaign is expected to be launched soon to discourage illegal debris dumping into water bodies.
The Dehradun Municipal Corporation reported the clearance of over 1,000 hectares of encroached land and stated that any contractor found dumping construction debris into the rivers would face legal action. The Advocate General, SN Babulkar, presented the official implementation report to the court on behalf of the state government.
Apart from the issues surrounding the Rispana and Bindal rivers, the court also took note of other environment-related PILs from different parts of the state. One of the petitions alleged that large-scale construction on submerged land in Sahastradhara was posing a serious threat to the water body and its surrounding ecosystem. Another petition raised concerns about unauthorised construction and land encroachment in Rishikesh, reporting around 100 acres of encroachment in Dehradun, 140 acres in Vikasnagar, and about 15 acres each in Rishikesh and Doiwala on riverbed land.
The High Court's actions align with ongoing concerns over Dehradun's rapidly deteriorating environment. Both the Rispana and Bindal rivers have suffered from years of neglect, rampant encroachment, and pollution, despite numerous revival efforts in the past. With this latest judicial intervention, authorities are now under greater pressure to act decisively to protect these crucial water bodies and prevent further ecological damage.
The move signals a shift toward stricter regulatory enforcement in response to growing urbanisation pressures and public concern over environmental degradation. With the state now compelled to remove encroachments and implement protective measures, this development marks a significant step in balancing growth with ecological responsibility in the region.
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