NGT Questions Responsibility Over Unregulated Pilgrim Numbers in Uttarakhand

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has raised concerns regarding the lack of carrying capacity limits on pilgrim numbers at Uttarakhand's major pilgrimage sites. The NGT has asked the state's environment secretary to clarify the responsible party in case of an accident, due to the unregulated influx of pilgrims.

In a recent session, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) highlighted the absence of carrying capacity constraints for pilgrims visiting Uttarakhand's prominent pilgrimage sites such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

The NGT requested clarification from the state's environment department secretary regarding accountability in the event of a mishap, given the unregulated number of pilgrims.

The tribunal's chairperson, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, referenced a circular from May 2022 that set pilgrim limits, which was later withdrawn in April 2023. Consequently, no current restrictions exist.