NGT slaps ₹1-lakh fine on Ludhiana MC chief for ‘obstructing’ tribunal’s functioning
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the Ludhiana municipal commissioner for “creating obstructions” in the functioning of the tribunal and joint committee.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the Ludhiana municipal commissioner for “creating obstructions” in the functioning of the tribunal and joint committee.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the Ludhiana municipal commissioner for “creating obstructions” in the functioning of the tribunal and joint committee. The MC chief has been directed to pay the fine within 15 days.
During a hearing held on July 31 in a matter pertaining to encroachments over green belts on the Lodhi Club Road and old GT Road (from Jagraon Bridge to Sherpur Chowk), the tribunal stressed the delay in providing the development plan (master plan) by MC commissioner and imposed the sanction, observing that the official “was creating obstruction” in the functioning of tribunal and bodies constituted by it, leading to delays in proceedings.
MC commissioner Sandeep Rishi said, “There was some confusion regarding the master plan. The committee asked for a development plan but we don’t have such terminology in our office. We submitted the master plan through email, WhatsApp and sent it via post as well. We respect the tribunal’s order and will submit a fine amount positively.”
Council of Engineers president Kapil Arora, who had moved NGT over the encroachments on green belts, said that the tribunal, after rejecting the report of the previous joint committee on August 7, 2023, had constituted a new committee consisting of members from the Union environment ministry, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to submit a report on the encroachments on green belts by Lodhi Club and Convent School, BRS Nagar on Lodhi the Club Road and by the MC which he said built a library and parking areas in green belts on old GT Road.
The committee had sent a letter to the MC seeking the master plan but the civic body failed in doing so, according to a joint committee partial report submitted on January 9 this year.
Taking cognizance of the matter on July 18, the bench directed the MC commissioner to appear on July 31. After receiving the master plan on July 24, the joint committee filed a reply and sought three months to submit the final report.
Vikas Arora, a member of the Council of Engineers, said that the MC commissioner appeared before the NGT and submitted that the development plan was provided to the joint committee on April 30, 2024. He, however, failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the delay of over five months.
The bench found the MC commissioner’s conduct to be “highly objectionable”.
The bench further observed that despite receiving the development plan on April 30, the joint committee is “guilty of delaying proceedings” and its demand of three months for submitting the report is “unreasonable”. The bench directed the joint committee to submit a report within a month.
To read Hon'ble NGT order, click here:-