Yamuna?s floodplain: What it is, how building on it can be harmful

On Wednesday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) permitted Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?s Art of Living Foundation to organise its World Culture Festival on the floodplains of the Yamuna after imposing a fine of Rs 5 crore on the organisation, and asking it to undertake remedial action to restore the area to its original state at the end of the three-day event beginning tomorrow. The event has come under sharp criticism from environmental activists and NGOs because of the damage it is likely to cause to the Yamuna?s floodplains.
First, what is a floodplain?
Floodplain is the area adjacent to a river that is not always under water, but is prone to flooding. It is an extension of the riverbed. In the case of the Yamuna in Delhi, the area that is likely to get submerged at least once in a 25-year period has been classified as its floodplain. The floodplains are not separate from the river. They are an integral part of any river-system, and are an ecologically sensitive area.
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