New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS): The Supreme Court has ordered the Bihar government to ensure that no further construction takes place adjacent to river Ganga, particularly in and around Patna.

“The state shall report to this court the progress in getting the unauthorised structures removed by filing an affidavit. Such affidavit shall be filed by the Chief Secretary of Bihar,” directed a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Augustine George Masi.

The bench also noted that the state government has identified 213 unauthorised constructions adjacent to river Ganga in and around Patna, and steps have been taken to remove these encroachments or constructions.

The matter will be next taken up for hearing on February 5.

The plea filed by a Patna-based resident said that in several areas of the floodplain, all residential buildings and houses are digging borewells without any permission or approval from the concerned authorities.

The state agencies, instead of acting against such illegal constructions and encroachments, were providing them electricity connection, the plea stated.

“Over a massive 520 acres of ecologically sensitive Ganga floodplains, stretching from Nauzer Ghat to Nurpur Ghat in Patna, have been usurped,” said the special leave petition filed through advocate Akash Vashishtha, adding that a clean Ganga is vital and essential to meet the drinking and domestic water needs of 5.5 lakh population of Patna.

Earlier, the National Green Tribunal had dismissed the appellant’s application saying that it was bereft of particulars of the violations and the violators.