The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declared the luxury tent city projects set up on the Ganga riverbed in Varanasi illegal, holding that they violated key environmental norms and river protection laws. The tribunal has also directed authorities to recover environmental compensation imposed on the project developers for operating without mandatory approvals.
The ruling relates to two high-end tent city projects developed on the floodplain of the Ganga to promote tourism in the holy city. These projects, inaugurated in January 2023, were established following tenders issued by the Uttar Pradesh government and were projected as temporary accommodation facilities. However, the NGT found that the developments were carried out in ecologically sensitive areas where construction and commercial activity are strictly regulated.
In its order, the tribunal observed that the tent cities violated the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016. This order restricts any unregulated activity on riverbeds and floodplains without prior statutory clearances. The NGT noted that while the developers had received conditional consent to establish the facilities, they did not obtain the mandatory “Consent to Operate” from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) before beginning operations.
A joint inspection committee comprising officials from the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Central and State Pollution Control Boards and the environment ministry recorded several violations. These included improper sewage management, operation within the high flood level zone, and the risk of untreated waste entering the river. The tribunal also referred to concerns about damage to local biodiversity and disturbance to the natural flow and ecology of the Ganga.
The UPPCB had earlier imposed an environmental compensation of ₹17.12 lakh on the developers for non-compliance. The NGT expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in recovering the amount and directed state authorities to ensure that the penalty is collected within a stipulated timeframe.
The tribunal further cautioned that no similar tent cities or commercial tourism projects should be allowed on the Ganga’s riverbed, floodplains or along its tributaries unless all environmental laws and clearance requirements are fully met. It emphasised that development in sensitive river zones must not compromise ecological protection.
The NGT did not rule on claims related to the area’s wildlife sanctuary status, noting that the matter is currently under consideration by the Supreme Court.
