NGT Holds Officials Personally Liable for Bhopal Lake Encroachments

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declared that Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and tehsildars in Bhopal will be personally accountable for clearing encroachments surrounding the Upper Lake. This directive comes after persistent failures by the district administration and the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to remove temporary and permanent constructions within the lake's buffer zone. These officials are part of a committee tasked with identifying, demarcating, and removing illegal structures within 50 meters of the lake's Full Tank Level (FTL).

The tribunal has instructed SDMs and tehsildars to compile lists of unauthorized constructions that violate wetland rules and the city's master plan. They must also provide an action-taken report by August 31, the date of the next hearing. Previously, an SDM cited a lack of police force and higher court orders as reasons for inaction on 30 of 67 identified FTL encroachments.

To address the issue of police support, the NGT has stipulated that a police officer nominated by the commissioner must join the district collector's committee to organize police assistance during encroachment removal operations. The T.T. Nagar area, under SDM Archana Sharma, has the highest number of encroachments. Overall, 117 encroachments were identified in the 50-meter FTL zone, with 72 still pending removal.

Environmental activists raised concerns about the slow compliance with previous orders and the impact of chemical contamination from surrounding farming on the wetland and the city's water supply. Issues regarding mud jeep rallies and vehicle racing in nearby tiger habitats were also discussed, with authorities reporting FIRs filed and officials deputed for checks.