District Ganga Committee orders development of riverfront on Yamuna floodplains

At least 5,000 hectares of the Yamuna floodplain located in Noida are facing threat from illegal construction. The Noida authority said that it is demolishing all illegal construction. The Hindon originates from Pur Ka Tanda village in Saharanpur, and joins the Yamuna near Momnathal in Sector 151, Noida. Around 17km of the river passes through Noida and Greater Noida, and its floodplains are sold as residential plots by the land mafia

The Gautam Budh Nagar District Ganga Committee, headed by district magistrate Suhas LY, has asked all government bodies to jointly prepare a revival plan for the Yamuna and Hindon rivers.

JCB machines raze a farmhouse built on the Yamuna floodplains in Noida. (Sourced)

The teams have been told to conduct inspections and come up with actionable insights to protect the ecology of the two rivers. Both rivers are facing threats from pollution and rampant illegal construction on their flood plains.

The District Ganga Committee is a statutory body that works for the management, protection, conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga and its tributaries and other water bodies in every region under the Clean Ganga Mission.

The committee made the announcement four days after it banned the registry of farmhouses, or other buildings in the floodplains, and ordered for demolition of all illegal construction.

“The directions have been issued with an aim to prepare a revival plan so that the ecology of the two rivers can be protected. We can achieve this with joint efforts, and taking effective steps,” Suhas said.

Akash Vashishth, environmentalist, advocate, and member, Ganga Committee, said, “Any illegal construction on the floodplains not only damages the ecology, but also poses danger to human life. There is a need for all government agencies to work together and free the floodplains from such constructions, as untreated sewage is being dumped by the habitation activities into the rivers.”

The Hindon originates from Pur Ka Tanda village in Saharanpur, and joins the Yamuna near Momnathal in Sector 151, Noida. Around 17km of the river passes through Noida and Greater Noida, and its floodplains are sold as residential plots by the land mafia. The mushrooming of unauthorised housing facilities is posing a threat to groundwater table, besides polluting the river, officials said.

At least 5,000 hectares of the Yamuna floodplain located in Noida are facing threat from illegal construction. The Noida authority said that it is demolishing all illegal construction.

“We have freed around two lakh square meters of land and demolished around 100 farmhouses recently. We are carrying out a weekly demolition drive to act against illegal farmhouses on flood plains,” said Prasoon Diwvedi, officer on special duty, Noida authority.