The National Green Tribunal on Thursday issued a notice to the Centre, the Uttarakhand government and the Border Road Organisation over the illegal dumping of debris in the Ganga, reported ANI. The tribunal asked Uttarakhand’s additional secretary, forests, to appear before it on May 31.

The Uttarakhand government admitted that debris was indeed being dumped into the river from road construction work in the Gangotri range. It promised to crack down on the activity before the next hearing is scheduled.

On Wednesday, the NGT had summoned Uttarakhand’s environment secretary with regard to widening work along the Gangotri March, which is being carried out under the Char Dham National Highway Connectivity Improvement programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Kedarnath on Wednesday to attend the reopening of parts of the Himalayan shrine.

The NGT on Tuesday had announced a fine of Rs 1 lakh for anyone dumping electronic waste on the Ramganga river in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, PTI reported.