Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

NGT Orders Restoration of Pond Encroached by Meerut Residents

The State Pollution Control Board Attorney has said that it will take about two months to complete the action taken.
February 18, 2022
NGT
Picture used for representation purpose only. Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Uttar Pradesh administration to restore a pond that was encroached by residents of Sardana tehsil in Meerut.

The judgment came after a bench of NGT Chairperson Judge Adarsh Kumar Goel was hearing a motion against the loss of more than 3,400 square feet pond of the village of M. Patauli in the district.

The applicant, Advocate Rahul Raj Malik alleged that multiple complaints were filed with various authorities, but no action was taken.

Referring to the judgment of the Supreme Court in Hinch Lal Tiwari Vs 2001. Kamala Devi case, the court said that it was the responsibility of the state to maintain such ponds and keep them free from any encroachment. Earlier, on November 1, 2021, the court had sought a practical and actionable report from a joint committee comprising the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), District Magistrate, Meerut and the State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority.

Based on the instructions, the state PCB, after inspecting the site on January 5, 2022, filed a report acknowledging that there was illegal occupancy and stating that action was taken under Section 67 of the United States Revenue Code 2006.

The State PCB Attorney has said that it will take about two months to complete the action taken.

Accordingly, the green court directed the authorities to take further action in accordance with the law to restore the pond by removing encroachment and complying with the directions of the Tribunal inter-alia vide order dated November 18, 2021.