Supreme Court gave Bihar a final 8-week deadline to clear unauthorised Ganga floodplain structures or face contempt.
The state blamed delays on recent Nepal floods, though it reported partial progress.
The court banned construction disrupting the river's ecological flow but allowed owners to submit valid land permissions.
The Supreme Court on Monday gave the Bihar government eight more weeks to follow its earlier direction to remove all unauthorised structures from the Ganga floodplains in Patna.
It warned that if the state does not comply, it may start contempt proceedings against the concerned officials. The order also stated that Bihar’s Chief Secretary and other authorities would be summoned if the directions are not followed.
The two-judge bench of the Supreme Court was headed by Justice J B Padiwala and Justice K V Viswanathan. The bench clarified that no further time will be provided. It also barred the authorities from moving ahead with any construction that obstructs the ecological flow of water.
The court, however, provided the option to approach the concerned authorities with representations to intervenors. People having claims of authorised constructions can attach all documents of their title on the said land, including authorised sanctions/permissions and authorisation to raise constructions on the said lands.
When the matter was taken up before the court, S D Sanjay, the Advocate General (AG), top law officer of the State of Bihar, submitted that the state has partially complied with the directions issued by this Court.
According to the New Indian Express, Sanjay clarified to the court that "There are many unauthorised structures/constructions yet to be removed from the flood plains. The recent natural calamity in Nepal, which led to the level of the river Ganga rising, has submerged this entire portion and made it difficult for the authorities to proceed further with the removal of the encroachments."
Earlier, on July 23, the apex court had directed the Bihar government to clear all illegal encroachments between Nauzar Ghaandto and Nurpur Ghat in Patna within six weeks and submit a compliance report by September 23, 2026. While issuing the order, the apex court described illegal constructions and encroachments on the Ganga River and its tributaries as “a very serious issue.”
The order came while the court was hearing a civil appeal filed by Ashok Kumar Sinha, a Patna resident, through his lawyer Akash Vashishtha. The appeal challenged an order of the National Green Tribunal, which had dismissed Sinha’s original application.
Sinha linked the alleged violations to the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016. The order was issued by the Ministry of Water Resources. He argued that the encroachments were in gross contravention of the regulations imposed under that 2016 order. The legal basis for the order, he said, was the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
