NGT issues notice to Ludhiana MC over alleged green belt destruction
The action follows complaints by residents and engineers, who submitted fresh documentary evidence supporting their case.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the department of local bodies, Punjab, and the Ludhiana municipal corporation over allegations of large-scale destruction of a public green belt along the old GT Road. The action follows complaints by residents and engineers, who submitted fresh documentary evidence supporting their case.
The case was initially filed by the Punjab Action Committee (PAC) in November, and the first hearing took place on December 3, 2025, during which the NGT issued the notices.
Earlier, petitioners had withdrawn their plea when the tribunal sought proof that the land was officially designated as a park or green belt.
They have now provided extracts from the Ludhiana Master Plan and a communication from the horticulture department, confirming that the area had been handed over to a park management committee for maintenance for two years. This, they argued, establishes the area as a designated public green space.
Petitioners allege that part of the green belt was already damaged when the civic body constructed a static compactor building, which has caused foul smells and an increase in mosquitoes and flies, posing a public health risk.
Kapil Arora, one of the petitioners, further claimed that the municipal corporation recently began constructing two new water tanks within the same 200-metre stretch without inviting objections from residents, a legal requirement for such projects. Arora noted that an older water tank in the area has been lying unused for years, raising questions about planning decisions.
Another petitioner, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, said the ongoing situation reflects a repeated pattern of sidelining residents. He recalled a similar incident in 2022, when an overhead water tank was proposed in Kidwai Nagar.
Residents’ objections were incompletely considered, yet the civic body went ahead with the project and even held an inauguration by MLA Madan Lal Bagga, showing disregard for due procedure and public participation.
After hearing the submissions, the NGT observed that the allegations raised serious environmental compliance concerns and required detailed examination. The next hearing is scheduled for January 21, 2026.
