Home / Environment / NGT Orders Ganga Floodplain Demarcation Amid Encroachment Crisis
NGT Orders Ganga Floodplain Demarcation Amid Encroachment Crisis
15 Feb
Summary
- NGT directs Uttar Pradesh to physically mark Ganga and Yamuna floodplains.
- 7,350 boundary pillars to be installed across 13 districts along the Ganga.
- Demarcation includes 21 Ganga tributaries and 1,056 km of the Yamuna.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a critical directive to the Uttar Pradesh government, ordering the physical demarcation of floodplains along the Ganga, its tributaries, and the Yamuna River. This measure is intended to halt ongoing encroachment, which experts state has severely impacted the river ecosystems by constricting waterways, worsening pollution, and increasing flood vulnerability.
The tribunal has mandated the installation of approximately 7,350 boundary pillars across 13 districts from Unnao to Ballia. The demarcation effort extends to 21 tributaries of the Ganga and covers 1,056 km of the Yamuna river, from Asgarpur to Prayagraj. Progress has been reported in Gautam Buddha Nagar, with pillar installation completed.
The state informed the NGT on February 9, 2026, that pending demarcation and pillar installation work is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2026. The tribunal has set May 20, 2026, for its next hearing on the matter.
