Ludhiana: NGT panel holds meeting over 'encroachments' of green belts

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 21

After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) formed a joint committee to verify the factual position and submit a report over alleged encroachments of green belts in different areas, a meeting of committee members with different stakeholders was held at the MC’s Zone D office here on Monday. The meeting was headed by MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal.

Notably, the Council of Engineers led by its president Kapil Arora had earlier filed the petition before the NGT against alleged encroachments in green belts outside Lodhi Club and Sacred Heart School at BRS Nagar. The council blamed the club and the school for using the green belt area for parking vehicles.

In the meeting, officials of the MC, the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), the Forest Department and representatives of Lodhi Club and Sacred Heart School were also present. An LIT official said the area outside the club and school was actually a 300 feet wide road as per the LIT’s plan. The LIT plan does not show any green belt there, according to the official. Besides, the matter regarding Old GT Road was also highlighted.

On the other hand, petitioner Kapil Arora said the area outside the club and the school on Lodhi Club Road at BRS Nagar are green belts, as per the Master Plan of the city. He said the Master Plan depicted green belts from Jagraon Bridge to Sherpur Chowk on Old GT Road too.

Now, officials of the departments concerned would check whether the said areas were green belts or not.

Notably, the NGT had earlier constituted a Joint Committee comprising the Regional Officer, MoEF & CC, Chandigarh, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, State PCB and the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana after Council of Engineers president Kapil Arora had filed a petition against alleged encroachments. The committee was given directions to meet within two weeks, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and representative of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position and submit its report within 15 days to the NGT.

Engineers’ body had filed petition

Council of Engineers, led by its president Kapil Arora, had filed a petition before the NGT against alleged encroachments in green belts outside Lodhi Club and Sacred Heart School at BRS Nagar. The council blamed the club and the school for using the green belt area for parking vehicles.

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#Environment #National Green Tribunal NGT