# Centre eases Ganga floodplain construction ban, defines zones 2026-08-12T04:21:41+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Union government has amended the River Ganga Authorities Order, 2016, replacing the blanket construction-free zone along the Ganga floodplain with a stratified, approval-based system. An August 10 gazette notification from the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) now defines three zones: an active floodplain (flooding every 1, 5 years), a regulatory zone (5, 25 years), and a warning zone (25, 100 years). Construction is banned only in the active zone, with minor exceptions for temporary religious events. Projects in other zones need prior NMCG clearance. A senior government official told The Hindu the changes correct an inconsistency, the 2016 order used ‘active floodplain’ without defining it. The official insisted there was “no dilution of standards.” The amendment follows recent petitions before the National Green Tribunal against construction along the Ganga and its tributaries, including the Gomti. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - hindustantimes.com Tags: construction ban, flood zoning, Ganga flood plain, Jal Shakti ministry, Namami Ganga, NMCG Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/centre-eases-ganga-flood-plain-building-ban-adopts-zonal-rules/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/centre-eases-ganga-flood-plain-building-ban-adopts-zonal-rules/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.