Restore Dholewal Chowk park to original form, NGT asks civic body

In a matter related to the construction of a library by the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana, in a public park at Dholewal Chowk, encroachments over green belts by Lodhi Club and Sacred Heart School at BRS Nagar, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Municipal Commissioner to comply with the earlier orders of restitution of the park, retaining its original shape, and file a compliance report within one month. As per the NGT orders, only 5 per cent area of the parks and green belts can be covered with tiles but 50 per cent area of the green belt along Old GT Road has been concretised, resulting into major environmental damage.

MC failed to comply with orders: activist

A social activist and member of the Public Action Committee (PAC), Kapil Arora, said the Green Tribunal has issued directions on October 4, 2024, for restitution of the park but the MC failed to comply with the orders till date. The Court Commissioner submitted the report by mentioning the park area as 350 sq yards with around 50 per cent concretisation.

Further, the civic body has been claiming that the library building belongs to the MC but as per reply under the RTI Act received from the library branch of the corporation, it has been made clear that the impugned building is not its library.

Vikas Arora, member, PAC, said as per notification of 2018, as issued by the state government, green belts must not be used for car parking. Further, in view of directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Transport Department, Punjab, has issued a policy in which it is mentioned that parking of school vehicles must be done in the area owned by schools but Sacred Heart School at BRS Nagar is using green belt for parking vehicles of its staff and school vans.

“We have produced all facts before the NGT and also served the documents well in time to all respondents but the latter have failed to submit any reply on our objections. The Bench had given last opportunity to all respondents to file their reply within one month and afterwards, we are also given time thereafter to file the rejoinder, if any,” Arora said.

He said 50 per cent of the green belt along Old GT Road had been concretised and it was being used for parking by commercial outlets, mainly car showrooms and vehicle repair shops. Two-wheelers of staff, working in companies in a large number, are parked in the green belts resulting in major environmental loss. The Old GT Road gets waterlogged during monsoon due to lack of space for rainwater to enter the ground. The next date of hearing is fixed for July 2.