New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has directed the authorities concerned to expedite the demarcation of floodplain zones of the Ganga and the Ram Ganga in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district.

The green panel was hearing a plea alleging a state-owned company in the energy sector is carrying out illegal construction in the rivers' floodplains in the Milak Kharakpur Baaje village of the district's Munda Pandey block.

Also Read | Gujarat: Man Remarries With Wife’s Consent for Male Heir, Then Abandons Both Wives to Stay With Third Woman in Live-In Relationship; FIR Registered.

A tributary of the Ganga, the Ram Ganga originates in Uttarakhand and enters Uttar Pradesh in Bijnor district.

In February, a report by the Moradabad district magistrate and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board said a pipeline was being constructed by GAIL.

Also Read | Excise Policy Case: Delhi High Court To Hear Arvind Kejriwal's Plea Challenging ED Summonses on May 15.

A bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in pursuance of the tribunal's earlier directions, the district magistrate filed another report, saying Rs 1.12 crore had been paid to the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) in Roorkee for demarcation of the floodplain.

According to the NIH, the determination of geo-coordinates for demarcating the floodplain would be completed within 12 months, following which the demarcation process would begin, the bench -- also comprising Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member A Senthil Vel -- said noting the report.

In an order passed on April 12, the bench noted that according to the authorities concerned, it could be ascertained whether the construction work was within the floodplains only after the process of demarcation was completed.

"Hence, we dispose of the original application, directing the authorities to expedite the process of demarcation of floodplain zone in question and submit a quarterly report before the tribunal disclosing the progress till it is demarcated and to take action against the project proponent (GAIL), if required, after demarcation, and submit final action taken report thereafter," the tribunal said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)