The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the State government to explain why the floating huts on the Tehri dam reservoir were functioning despite the license for their operation having expired. The division bench of acting chief justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and justice Vivek Bharti Sharma sought this information while hearing a public interest litigation against non-vegetarian food being served at a floating restaurant and waste from it and floating huts on the Tehri dam reservoir being dumped into the Bhagirathi (Ganga). The matter will be taken up for hearing next on January 8.

During the hearing on Friday, the State Pollution Control Board stated in its affidavit that the license of the floating huts had expired on March 31, 2023. The operator submitted an application on December 21, 2023 for renewal of the license. The pollution control board issued the license for operation of the floating huts on January 1 this year. Objecting to this, the petitioner stated that application for license renewal had to be submitted two months before expiry of the license which was not done by the operator. Based on the board’s report, the High Court has asked the State government to submit its reply. Swargashram resident Navin Singh Rana had filed the public interest litigation stating that the State government gave permission for operating a floating restaurant and floating huts on the Tehri dam reservoir to encourage tourism. However, the permission was misused as some restaurants prepare non-vegetarian food and dump its waste in the sacred Bhagirathi river. The sewage from the floating huts is also dumped into the river, the petitioner stated. The petitioner has contended that such actions are hurting the sentiments of the followers of Sanatan Dharma. The petitioner had earlier written to the district magistrate, chief secretary and the Central government requesting that such activities be stopped. However, no action was taken. Due to this Rana had to move court.