India, Aug. 5 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to submit a report identifying the origin of the Budhi Ganga River and trace its entire course until it merges with the Ganga River or one of its tributaries.

The direction came while the tribunal was hearing a case related to alleged encroachment of the Budhi Ganga River in Uttar Pradesh. The NGT had earlier instructed authorities to demarcate the river's floodplain.

In an order dated August 3, which was made public on Wednesday, a bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation and Water Resources Department had informed the tribunal that physical...