Panel moves NGT over non-compliance of orders on green belts in city areas
Despite directions, authorities allowed violations along Old GT Road, in Model Town Extension
The Public Action Committee (PAC) has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with an execution application against the Joint Committee and other authorities, alleging failure to comply with the Tribunal’s directions to safeguard city’s green belts and public parks.
PAC members Er Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh explained that the matter relates to the original application submitted in 2025, which raised alarm over repeated encroachments and illegal constructions in designated green belt areas.
“Despite clear orders, the authorities have allowed rampant violations along Old GT Road near Buddha Dariya; adjoining the Sarabha Nagar Zone D Office and in Model Town Extension,” Arora said.
On July 31, 2025, the NGT had directed a joint committee — comprising officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Punjab Pollution Control Board, and the District Magistrate Ludhiana, to verify earmarked green spaces, remove encroachments and submit an action-taken report within three months. However, PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Gurpreet Singh noted that more than six months have passed without compliance. “We sent repeated reminders, including WhatsApp messages and emails, but the silence from the authorities is deafening,” remarked Khaira.
Dr Amandeep Singh Bains said the inaction had emboldened fresh violations.
“Shockingly, construction of a tehsil office has now commenced in the same green belt along Old GT Road. It is not just a breach of the NGT orders but also a violation of environmental laws, the Master Plan, and even Supreme Court directions,” he said.
The PAC has now filed Execution Application of 2026, urging the Tribunal to order demolition of illegal constructions and recover public funds spent on unlawful works from officials responsible. “We have prayed that Ludhiana’s green spaces be protected and accountability fixed on those who facilitated these violations,” said Gurpreet.
The committee’s failure, despite widespread media coverage in August 2025, has drawn sharp criticism from civic groups. PAC members stressed that protecting green belts is not merely a legal obligation but a moral duty to future generations. “If judicial orders are ignored brazenly, what message does it send about governance and respect for the environment?” asked Arora.
