India, Aug. 12 -- The Centre has redefined the "active floodplain" of the Ganga and its tributaries and introduced regulatory and warning zones based on flood return periods.

The Jal Shakti Ministry, through a notification issued on August 7 and published in the Gazette on August 10, has amended the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016.

The latest amendment removes the "construction free zone" wording and instead says that the banks of the Ganga and its tributaries and their floodplains shall be maintained to reduce pollution sources and pressures, and preserve their natural groundwater recharge functions through necessary measures.

At the same time, the government has introduced a specific defi...