The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently declared that the Varanasi 'Tent City', which was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2023, was established and operated in violation of environmental norms. The NGT, in its order dated January 8, 2026, found that two private entities, Praveg Tent and Niraan Tent City, had set up these temporary accommodations on the Ganga riverbed, contravening the provisions of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management) Authority's order of 2016 and other applicable environmental laws. The ruling followed a plea alleging that the project was detrimental to the river's ecological balance, including its flora and fauna, and was contributing to pollution, specifically through the discharge of untreated sewage directly into the Ganga. To investigate these serious allegations, the NGT had constituted a seven-member joint committee in March 2023, which subsequently identified several environmental violations in its report. As a consequence of these findings, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) had previously levied an environmental compensation of approximately ₹17.12 lakh each on the two operating companies for running the tent city without proper consent and in violation of green regulations from January to May 2023. The NGT has now instructed the UPPCB and the state's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department to ensure the swift recovery of this fine within three months. Furthermore, the tribunal has explicitly prohibited the future establishment of any such tent cities on the banks of the River Ganga or its tributaries, aiming to uphold the integrity of the riverbed and its ecological health. The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) has reportedly decided not to re-erect the tent city for the 2023-2024 post-monsoon season, pending the ongoing NGT proceedings.