NGT seeks Centre's reply on construction in Hindon sanctuary

The National Green Tribunal has sought the Centre's response on a plea of an environmentalist seeking demolition of alleged constructions raised in the Hindon Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district.
A bench headed by Justice U D Salvi issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Uttar Pradesh government, Ghaziabad Development Authority and others while seeking their replies by July 15.
The directions came while hearing a petition filed by Ghaziabad resident Sushil Raghav who has contended that the construction work started in this area without any permission from State Environment Impact Assessment Authority as required under EIA notification 2006.

"From the records obtained by the applicant it also seems that efforts were being made to change the land records of the bird sanctuary," the plea alleged.
Raghav claims that the land originally belonged to Arthala gram sabha but was handed over to Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in 1990. Later, in 1993-94, the then district magistrate notified it as a bird sanctuary, making the district forest department its custodian in 1995.
The plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, said that as per the information available on the website of State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and MoEF, no Environmental Clearance has been granted for any kind of activity on the bird sanctuary which is home to many migratory birds.

"Direct for restoration of the bird sanctuary and also of the pond to its original position in the area in question," the plea said.