NGT Orders Probe into Buddha Nullah Encroachments

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued strict directives to the Ludhiana district administration regarding alleged encroachments and environmental violations along Buddha Nullah. Officials are mandated to produce original revenue records and ensure no illegal construction occurs within the water body or its mandatory buffer zone. This intervention is a direct response to concerns that unchecked construction and dumping are significantly narrowing the Nullah and damaging its ecosystem.

The tribunal's order, stemming from a case about the shrinking Buddha Nullah, requires the District Magistrate to submit detailed maps and original revenue plans. These documents will help verify claims of encroachment and establish the factual status of the water body's width across its entire length. Activists have challenged the adequacy of a previous report by a joint committee, asserting it failed to incorporate essential revenue data and site measurements.

Further concerns have been raised regarding the construction of retaining walls and increasing concretisation along the Nullah, which adversely affects its natural ecosystem. Applicants have highlighted that such activities reduce vegetation cover, impede groundwater recharge, and disturb the ecological balance. The NGT has emphasized the Supreme Court's prohibition on construction within water bodies and their buffer zones, directing strict enforcement of environmental norms. The next hearing is scheduled for April 20, 2026.