NGT Orders Lakshadweep Tourism Confined to Island Carrying Capacity

The National Green Tribunal directed on February 19, 2026 that all tourism activities on Lakshadweep islands, including tent city operations run by Praveg Limited on Bangaram Island, must be conducted within the overall carrying capacity of the islands and subject to adequate environmental safeguards. The tribunal required six-monthly third-party environmental audits, drone surveys, and compliance reports placed in the public domain.

The NGT bench of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana ordered that tent numbers at Bangaram, Thinnakara North and Thinnakara South must be strictly restricted in accordance with each island's carrying capacity. The Lakshadweep Pollution Control Committee must conduct comprehensive inspections verifying all conditions in Praveg Ltd's consent to establish and operate, while the District Collector of Kavaratti, the LPCC, the Forest and Environment Department and LTDC must maintain constant vigil over island operations. A security deposit requirement from guests at check-in was proposed to enforce environmental guidelines on plastic waste and littering.

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare reported to NGT on February 20, 2026 that sustained efforts are underway in Ladakh to promote sustainable agriculture under the Soil Health Card Scheme and PM Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. In 2025-26, 450 SHCs have been generated against a target of 900, with Rs 0.95 crore released for scheme implementation. Under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, 10,000 hectares in Ladakh have been converted to organic farming benefiting 18,929 farmers, with Rs 541.85 lakh in central funds released since 2015-16. Drought-resistant crop varieties are being distributed to address glacier retreat-linked water availability decline.

The NGT on February 23, 2026 directed Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation to ensure strict compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 in Indirapuram and to install dustbins at regular intervals across the municipal area. GMC must submit a status and action taken report within two months. Residents had alleged that Indirapuram had become a dumping ground for municipal solid waste, with waste water flowing onto roads and into storm water drains. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board submitted an inspection report covering 17 locations visited by officials on February 12, 2026.

Key figure — 18,929 farmers in Ladakh benefiting from organic farming conversion under PKVY scheme