Green tribunal seeks report on Ghaziabad's concretisation

Following a petition filed by an environment activist, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed a commissioner to prepare a report on the massive concretisation of Ghaziabad.

The court appointed the commission last Tuesday (March 3) on activist Akash Vashishtha's plea stating that Ghaziabad, declared as a 'critical area' by the Central Ground Water Authority due to over-exploitation of ground water resources, is witnessing a fall in the water-level.

The water-level fell from 16.46 metres below ground level (mbgl) in 2005 to 19.44 mbgl in 2010.

It said the concerned agencies, especially Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) and Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam, have failed to install rain water harvesting systems at public places, parks, and buildings.

The practice of concretisation of soiled, green areas is a violation of the Biological Diversity Act 2002, the petition said.

The petitioner urged the NGT to issue direction to the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation to extend its guidelines, dated July 21, 2000, on greening of urban areas, for the whole of the country and submit compliance.

Because such mindless concretisation is affecting the health of the residents of the city and it is in violation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, it was requested that GDA and Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam be directed to conduct a tree census in Ghaziabad.