E-Paper
Concretisation of greenbelts: NGT appoints advocate commissioner to verify MC chief’s claims
The move comes after objections were raised against an affidavit submitted by the Ludhiana municipal commissioner regarding encroachments and concretisation of greenbelts at Lodhi Club Road and Old GT Road.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stepped in to address the concretisation of greenbelts in Ludhiana, appointing advocate commissioner Amit Shukla to verify facts on the ground.
The move comes after objections were raised against an affidavit submitted by the Ludhiana municipal commissioner regarding encroachments and concretisation of greenbelts at Lodhi Club Road and Old GT Road.
Council of Engineers (CoE) president Kapil Arora said that at the heart of the issue is a library building in a park near Dholewal Chowk. The MC commissioner had submitted an affidavit stating that only 4% of the park’s area (1124 Sq yards) was used for construction.
But the CoE found that the actual park area is just 350 Sq yards, with 55% of it concretised. This includes a statue base, interlocking tiles, and cement concrete.
Beside above impugned park, almost 50% of the entire stretch of greenbelt at old GT Road has been concretised and the remaining is also being used for illegal commercial activities such as repair workshops, illegal garbage dump and parking of vehicles which has resulted in major environmental damage and loss of trees.
Sanjay Verma, general secretary, informed that parking in green belts and parks is prohibited as per the notification issued by Punjab government on April 13, 2018, but despite knowing the facts, the Ludhiana MC chief has deliberately turned a blind eye to parking of vehicles by visitors at a nearby school as well as Lodhi Club.
Arora added that after the CoE submitted their objections, the Bench ordered the appointment of Amit Shukla as advocate commissioner to visit the locations and verify the facts and submit report before next date of hearing scheduled to be held on December 17, 2024.
