Centre relaxes construction hurdles in Ganga flood plain

The Union government recently relaxed construction restrictions along the Ganga flood plain, allowing projects in areas that experience moderate or rare flooding. This change came after revising the definition of 'flood plain' and deleting a clause that prohibited construction, according to a National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) gazette order dated August 10.

The NMCG, under the Jal Shakti Ministry, amended the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, which defines the Ganga flood plain as the area subject to floods corresponding to its greatest flow or a flood with a frequency of once in a hundred years. The 2016 order included a clause forbidding construction along the river bank and its flood plain to reduce pollution and maintain natural ground water recharge.

However, the August amendments removed the "no construction" clause and introduced a stratified definition of flood plains based on frequency: an 'active flood plain' with floods every five years or less, a 'regulatory zone' with moderate flooding every five to 25 years, and a 'warning zone' with severe flooding every 25 to 100 years.

While the new order does not grant free reign for development, it replaced the complete ban on flood plain construction with a regulated, approval-based system. The intention behind the amendment was to address an inconsistency in the law and eliminate ambiguity regarding the 'active flood plain'. The amendment retains strict building prohibitions only for the active flood plain, allowing construction in the regulatory and warning zones under official clearances.

Any project, from roads and bridges to riverfront infrastructure, must obtain prior approval from the NMCG and regional authorities while adhering to baseline environmental safeguards.