Encroachments along Buddha Dariya: PAC moves Tribunal against civic body, Water Resources Dept

The Public Action Committee (PAC) has filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the Department of Water Resources and Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana, over encroachments along the Buddha Dariya.

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The violation involves the construction of a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) retaining wall on the river bed and a road in the buffer zone between Haibowal Bridge and Old GT Road Bridge. PAC members Er Kapil Arora and Kuldeep Singh Khaira said after observing the construction activity, the committee issued legal notices to the Department of Water Resources and the Municipal Corporation, demanding immediate restitution of the Buddha Dariya and its buffer zone.

“Despite citing clear directives from the Supreme Court and the NGT, the MC has continued with the construction, causing serious environmental harm,” said Arora.

He pointed out that the MC had earlier identified illegal structures along the Buddha Dariya, marking them with red cross. However, instead of removing them, the corporation had narrowed the river’s width to protect the encroachments.

“It’s a gross misuse of power. Law enforcers have turned into lawbreakers — a recurring pattern under the current Municipal Commissioner,” added Khaira.

Dr Amandeep Singh Bains and Gurpreet Singh Plaha criticised the Drainage Department for inaction, stating that while it had issued letters to the MC, no meaningful steps have been taken even after two months of ongoing construction. “This tokenism shows clear connivance between the two departments. If the Drainage Department was serious, the work would have been halted the moment it began,” they said. According to Jaskirat Singh and Col Jasjit Singh Gill, the illegal construction has reduced the width of dariya by nearly 40 per cent, putting nearby localities at serious flood risk. They also recalled that, as per the action plan for the Sutlej, the NGT Monitoring Committee had specifically instructed the MC to carry out plantation along both banks of the dariya within the municipal limits to control foul odours and improve the area’s appearance. These directions have been completely ignored.