Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Devavrat Kumar Sahani Vs State of Bihar dated 07/04/2025.

The application was being registered on the basis of a letter petition dated December 27, 2024 sent to the NGT by the applicant, Devavrat Kumar Sahani, Muzaffarpur, Bihar alleging that in the process of bridge construction in Athar Ghat by Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation Limited lakhs of plastic bags were dumped in the Budhi Gandak river, due to which the flow of the river has been affected and the garbage has not been cleaned. It is stated that the work of bridge construction was allotted to M/s Ganesha Ram Dokaniya Aliganj Banka, Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam L.T.D. It is said that after completion of the construction work, the work agency and the department have not removed the sand bags and plastic bags thrown into the river from the construction site nor has the river been cleaned.

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The NGT directed notices to be issued to the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar; District Magistrate & Collector, Muzaffarpur; Bihar State Pollution Control Board; Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation Limited and M/s Ganesha Ram Dokaniya. All the respondents have been directed to file their counter affidavits. In addition, a two member fact finding committee was directed to be constituted to visit the site in question and submit a fact finding report.