NGT forms panel to look into Sahibabad park losing land

Ghaziabad municipal corporation has allegedly constructed a road/pathway on the land earmarked for the park, besides also constructing a drain after shifting the boundary of the park and thereby reducing the park area

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a three member committee and directed it to submit an action taken report on the allegations by an environmentalist that the park in Rajendra Nagar Industrial Colony in Sahibabad has reduced in size.

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The three-member committee formed on the directions of the tribunal includes member secretary of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, divisional forest officer, and district magistrate, Ghaziabad.

The petition was filed by environmentalist Sushil Raghav and contended that the layout plan of the area comprising the park was about 14,000 square yards but Ghaziabad municipal corporation has allegedly constructed a road/pathway on the land earmarked for the park, besides also constructing a drain after shifting the boundary of the park and thereby reducing the park area.

“The National Clean Air Program (NCAP) has been formulated in terms of Section 16(2)(b) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, which requires the authorities concerned to maintain the green area and in the present case, reduction of green area violates the NCAP. The activities also violates the short-term action plan relating to “non-attainment cities” which requires the forest department to maintain greening of open area, gardens, community places, etc,” petitioner Raghav said.

According to the officials, Ghaziabad city is among the 16 “non-attainment” cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and its pollution levels remain on the higher side during the winter months. Cities are declared “non-attainment” if they do not meet the national ambient air quality standards for particulate matter (PM10) or nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over a period of five years.

The tribunal in its order on Thursday issued notices to the respondents.

“We also form a committee comprising of the member secretary, UPPCB, concerned divisional forest officer and district magistrate, Ghaziabad, who will carry out a spot inspection, ascertain the correct position on the spot and file an action taken report before the tribunal within six weeks,” the tribunal said in its order.

The officials in the committee and municipal corporation said they are yet to receive a copy of the order.

“We will analyse the order and ensure compliance of directions given by the tribunal. We will also ask our property department to inspect the records of the park in question and take appropriate action,” said Anuj Singh, corporation’s horticulture in charge.