National Green Tribunal, in a petition over alleged rampant encroachments and illegal constructions in Chandanpura forest region, between the Kaliasot and Kerwa dam, said that all the owners of land encroaching the forest area must be traced and impleaded as respondents in the case on Wednesday.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and two of the four private respondents, already named in the petition, sought time from NGT to file a reply. The tribunal, while granting more to time to file a reply, fixed the case for hearing on Oct 16.
The tribunal further asked the petitioner, Abdul Rashid Khan, to trace all the owners of encroaching land in the region who should be made respondents by that time and serve them notice to appear for the hearing.
MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) counsel presented a report of the joint committee formed by the tribunal to visit the places of four respondents, who own the alleged encroaching land. The committee in its report said that it needs help from other departments and agencies to make a comprehensive report as mandated by the tribunal.
In the previous hearing, judicial member of the NGT’s central zone bench, Sheo Kumar Singh, and expert member, Afroz Ahmad, had constituted a committee to visit four places identified by the petitioner as encroachment on the forest land, including a university and a couple of bars and restaurants, and give a report to the tribunal.
While forming the committee on July 18, 2024, NGT said, “The submission of the applicant is that the Chandanpura forest region, situated between Kerwa and Kaliyasot dam, acts as a safety valve in maintaining this delicate ecological balance, is also a tiger habitat and breeding ground due to which this forest has been notified as protected forest and the entire ecology is thus safeguarded or regulated by Forest Protection Act, Environmental Protection Act, Biodiversity Act, Wildlife Protection Act and the state being signatory of various international conventions, is bound to preserve, protect and conserve this forest region, along with its peripheral areas which are part of and form the buffer zone for Chandanpura forest region. We deem it just and proper to call a report on the matter from a joint committee consisting of one representative from MoEF&CC, Bhopal, one representative from the principal chief conservator of Forest, MP, one representative from the secretary (environment), MP, one representative from Central Pollution Control Board and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board.”The NGT bench further said that the committee is directed to visit the place and submit the factual and action taken report and the violation, if any, noted within the area within six weeks. MPPCB was made the nodal agency for coordination and logistic support.
In compliance with the order of the NGT, a joint committee consisting of— MoEF&CC technical officer at the regional office in Bhopal, Yogesh Gairola, Bhopal DFO Alok Pathak, chief scientific officer at environment department in Bhopal, Lokendra Thakkar, PPCB regional officer Brajesh Sharma and Dr Poulami C Patil, scientist B, CPCB, RD, Bhopal– was formed.
The committee, in its brief report presented on Tuesday, said that the points in the petition were discussed and then the panel conducted a site visit of the places mentioned in the petition.
The committee further said that in reference to the issues mentioned in the petition, apart from the field visit observations, information is required from other departments such as the forest department, revenue department, BMC, and town and country planning department to prepare the report. “On behalf of the joint committee, it is humbly submitted that the information and data are being collected and therefore a report will be prepared based on the data collected,” said the report.
Bhopal: National Green Tribunal, in a petition over alleged rampant encroachments and illegal constructions in Chandanpura forest region, between the Kaliasot and Kerwa dam, said that all the owners of land encroaching the forest area must be traced and impleaded as respondents in the case on Wednesday.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and two of the four private respondents, already named in the petition, sought time from NGT to file a reply. The tribunal, while granting more to time to file a reply, fixed the case for hearing on Oct 16.
The tribunal further asked the petitioner, Abdul Rashid Khan, to trace all the owners of encroaching land in the region who should be made respondents by that time and serve them notice to appear for the hearing.
MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) counsel presented a report of the joint committee formed by the tribunal to visit the places of four respondents, who own the alleged encroaching land. The committee in its report said that it needs help from other departments and agencies to make a comprehensive report as mandated by the tribunal.
In the previous hearing, judicial member of the NGT’s central zone bench, Sheo Kumar Singh, and expert member, Afroz Ahmad, had constituted a committee to visit four places identified by the petitioner as encroachment on the forest land, including a university and a couple of bars and restaurants, and give a report to the tribunal.
While forming the committee on July 18, 2024, NGT said, “The submission of the applicant is that the Chandanpura forest region, situated between Kerwa and Kaliyasot dam, acts as a safety valve in maintaining this delicate ecological balance, is also a tiger habitat and breeding ground due to which this forest has been notified as protected forest and the entire ecology is thus safeguarded or regulated by Forest Protection Act, Environmental Protection Act, Biodiversity Act, Wildlife Protection Act and the state being signatory of various international conventions, is bound to preserve, protect and conserve this forest region, along with its peripheral areas which are part of and form the buffer zone for Chandanpura forest region. We deem it just and proper to call a report on the matter from a joint committee consisting of one representative from MoEF&CC, Bhopal, one representative from the principal chief conservator of Forest, MP, one representative from the secretary (environment), MP, one representative from Central Pollution Control Board and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board.”
The NGT bench further said that the committee is directed to visit the place and submit the factual and action taken report and the violation, if any, noted within the area within six weeks. MPPCB was made the nodal agency for coordination and logistic support.
In compliance with the order of the NGT, a joint committee consisting of— MoEF&CC technical officer at the regional office in Bhopal, Yogesh Gairola, Bhopal DFO Alok Pathak, chief scientific officer at environment department in Bhopal, Lokendra Thakkar, PPCB regional officer Brajesh Sharma and Dr Poulami C Patil, scientist B, CPCB, RD, Bhopal– was formed.
The committee, in its brief report presented on Tuesday, said that the points in the petition were discussed and then the panel conducted a site visit of the places mentioned in the petition.
The committee further said that in reference to the issues mentioned in the petition, apart from the field visit observations, information is required from other departments such as the forest department, revenue department, BMC, and town and country planning department to prepare the report. “On behalf of the joint committee, it is humbly submitted that the information and data are being collected and therefore a report will be prepared based on the data collected,” said the report.
