NGT orders action against encroachments on Bhopal green belt

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed authorities to take steps to protect Bhopal’s green cover, including a survey of recorded forest land and removal of illegal encroachments where there is no lawful impediment.

The tribunal issued a 97-page order on Friday, August 21, following a petition by environmental scientist Subash C Pandey seeking intervention to protect Bhopal’s green belt, which was developed from 1984.

The petition alleged that the green belt had been affected by encroachments involving commercial establishments, hospitals, some residents and, in certain cases, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The NGT has directed that high-resolution GIS mapping of the BMC area, including the central and side verges of roads, be carried out along with a tree census.

All trees and open land within the BMC area are to be identified, marked and protected after encroachments are removed.

The tribunal also said that no concretisation should be allowed in the green belt, noting that it acts as the city’s “lungs”.

Among its directions, the NGT said all vacant land parcels measuring more than 200 square metres owned by BMC, Smart City Bhopal or Bhopal Development Authority must allocate at least 25 per cent of their footprint to Miyawaki plots.

It also directed the Bhopal Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to engineer vertical modular green facades across concrete pillars along elevated Metro lines.

All active Metro stations, depots and public BRTS bus terminals must construct a 5-metre-deep perimeter green buffer to capture vehicular emissions and reduce localised heat build-up.

The tribunal further directed that encroachments on road-side and central verges be removed systematically, followed by wire fencing, afforestation and geo-tagging.

The collector and divisional forest officer of Bhopal have been directed to undertake a joint survey and demarcation of all recorded forest land in the district, preferably using GIS, GPS and satellite imagery.

Where illegal encroachments are found and there is no lawful impediment, authorities must take action for removal within three months.

The freed areas are to be protected with permanent boundary pillars and fencing where appropriate, correctly entered in revenue records and ecologically restored through plantation.

The forest department has also been directed to carry out plantations across the area to create green cover within 12 months.

The Times of India reported that the NGT has also directed quarterly monitoring of the forest department’s efforts to remove encroachments.