NGT Demands Accountability From Uttarakhand For Pilgrim Safety

The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday called on Uttarakhand’s environment department secretary to clarify who would be held accountable in case of an accident, as there are currently no fixed carrying capacity limits for pilgrims visiting Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

The NGT’s concerns arose from a petition regarding the unregulated disposal of waste, including equine dung and carcasses, along pilgrim paths to Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib, Yamunotri, and Gomukh.

NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, highlighted that a state government circular dated May 10, 2022, had previously set carrying capacities for these sites—16,000 for Badrinath, 13,000 for Kedarnath, 8,000 for Gangotri, and 5,000 for Yamunotri. However, this circular was rescinded by another circular on April 21, 2023.

The tribunal noted that there is no fixed carrying capacity for these pilgrimage sites at present and no restrictions on the number of pilgrims. The state’s counsel informed that it would take about a year to determine the appropriate carrying capacity. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the lack of regulation could lead to accidents, and someone should be responsible for any resulting mishaps.

In response, the NGT has directed the environment department secretary to appear virtually on September 12 to explain how the state plans to address potential accidents due to the absence of carrying capacity limits, including compensation for any losses and accountability for such incidents.

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