Son River

Son River

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a directive to halt all mining activities in Son riverbed
• Son River, originates in Madhya Pradesh, is a major tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River.
• The river joins the Ganges above Patna.
• The Son is unimportant for navigation, and the river’s flow is seasonal.
• The Kaimur Range to the north and the Chota Nagpur plateau to the south form the valley’s boundaries. 
• Son River is the largest of Ganga’s southern tributaries, beginning near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh near the Narmada River’s source and flowing north-northwest through Madhya Pradesh before turning sharply eastward where it meets the Kaimur Range, which runs southwest-northeast.
• It flows through four states: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

• Tributaries 
  • Ghaghar, Johilla, Chhoti Mahanadi, Banas, Gopad, Rihand, Kanhar and North Koel River.
• It is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for term of three years or till the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier and are not eligible for reappointment. 
• The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• There are to be least 10 and maximum 20 full time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal
• In October 2021, the Supreme Court declared the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) position as a “unique” forum endowed with suo motu (on its own motion) powers to take up environmental issues across the country.
• The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, but shall be guided by principles of ‘natural justice’.

Practice Questions for Prelims

Q. Son originates near
a) Khajurao
b) Dindori
c) Amarkantak
d) Umaria

Ans. c

Mains Practice Question

Critically Examine how The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems to droughts, floods and interrupted navigation.

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