NGT directs Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation to remove illegal encroachments in green belts

The National Green Tribunal Wednesday directed the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) to remove illegal encroachments in the green belts under its jurisdiction.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore asked the civic body to do the needful, within a period of 30 days from Wednesday, as per the recommendations of the inspection team and the observations made by the Court Commissioner.

"It is made clear that GMC shall comply with recommendations/ observations in letter and spirit and henceforth no part of recommendations/ observations should remain, failing which the officer concerned shall be made accountable for non-complying the order of the Tribunal and also be saddled with cost," the bench also comprising expert member Satyawan Singh Garbyal, said.

The tribunal's direction came after petitioner advocate Shariq Abbas Zaidi alleged that NGT's February 8 order directing the Municipal Corporation of Ghaziabad to take immediate steps for removal of encroachment from green belt has not been executed.

"It is submitted by the counsel for the applicant that the order of tribunal dated February 8 has not been compiled with, whereas the counsel for Municipal Corporation Ghaziabad submits that compliance has been fully made.

"In such a situation, we deem it proper to appoint a court commissioner so as to have the update of the site and to assess as to whether the compliance of the order has been made or not," the bench had said.

The court commissioner shall be paid remuneration of an amount of Rs 50, 000 and all other expenses such as conveyance, photography etc., which shall be borne by the Ghaziabad municipal corporation, the tribunal had said.

"It is made clear that liability of the payment of expenses of the Commissioner shall be finally decided on the conclusion of the report submitted by her. The Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad, shall ensure that all arrangements with regard to safety and security of the court commissioner are made," it had said.

The petitioners had sought action against the encroachments in the green belt area and reckless dumping of waste by the municipal bodies.

The plea had alleged that Hotel Radisson Blu which is located at Kaushambi has destroyed the entire green belt situated along with the road solely for their parking purposes and even converted the area into a party lawn.