The National Green Tribunal criticised central and Uttarakhand authorities for failing to report on restoration of a stream damaged by illegal muck dumping during rail construction.

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• The National Green Tribunal took up the Chopra Gadhera matter on September 21, 2026, before a bench headed by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi.
• Chopra Gadhera is a natural freshwater stream in Jawadi village, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand.
• The stream was damaged by muck dumping during the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
• The case began with a letter petition dated August 10, 2023, alleging that RVNL created a dumping area on the stream without statutory permissions or clearances.
• The NGT called out the MoEFCC, the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, the Rudraprayag District Magistrate, RVNL and contractor Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd for inadequate information.
• The Uttarakhand PCB had been directed on July 16, 2026, to file an additional report on imposing and recovering environmental compensation from RVNL and MEIL, but had not done so.
• The tribunal also flagged that over ₹2 crore meant for restoring the stream had not been released.
• The MoEFCC's expert committee is to assess the cost of restoration and remediation, preferably within three months, and RVNL and MEIL are liable to pay it.
• Senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, were directed to appear personally to explain non-compliance.
• The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line is a single-track broad-gauge project with 12 stations, part of the Char Dham railway, and officials have targeted completion by 2028.