The State government has designated the Irrigation Design and Research Board (IDRB) as the nodal agency for the restoration of water bodies. Orders in this regard were issued on February 3.
The decision followed a direction by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to all States and Union Territories (UTs) to designate nodal agencies for the protection and restoration of water bodies, department officials said.
The government has named Priyesh R., Director, IDRB, as the nodal officer. While considering a petition seeking the identification, protection and restoration of water bodies in Gurugram in November 2020, the NGT had expanded the scope of the plea and directed States and UTs to designate nodal agencies.
The tribunal also ordered the nodal agencies concerned to conduct meetings to take stock of the situation and plan further steps, including issuing of directions to panchayats and to evolve further a monitoring mechanism as well as a grievance redressal mechanism.
In the February 3 order designating the nodal agency, the State government directed the IDRB to submit periodic reports to the Central Pollution Control Board and the Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. The first report in this regard has to be submitted by February 28, the government said.
