Advertisement
When should a housing society in Mumbai start considering re...
From GST on JDAs to SEBI’s REIT reclassification and the S...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ghaziabad district administration to remove encroachments on a lake in Pasunda village, Loni, where a residential colony has been developed. The NGO Society for Voice of Human Rights and Justice alleged that Mahalaxmi Land and Finance Company altered revenue records to allow construction on land officially recorded as a lake under survey number 1564. Earlier reports from the administration were incomplete. The NGT clarified that ongoing High Court proceedings on ownership do not restrict its review of environmental aspects, and scheduled further hearings for late March.
The National Green Tribunal has instructed the Ghaziabad district administration to remove encroachments and protect a waterbody in Pasunda village, Loni, after finding that a residential colony is being constructed on land officially recorded as a lake. The case was brought by the NGO Society for Voice of Human Rights and Justice, which stated that revenue survey numbers 1564 and 2476 had been manipulated through mutation to allow development by Mahalaxmi Land and Finance Company. Advertisement
The petition revealed that the land under survey number 1564, covering approximately 0.961 hectares, is listed as a "jheel" or lake in official records. Despite this, residential construction was underway. The district administration had earlier submitted a report in May 2024 that did not clearly specify the nature of the land. It also vaguely referred to a pending writ petition before the Allahabad High Court without providing case details.
Following this, the NGT expressed dissatisfaction with incomplete information and had earlier required the district magistrate to attend hearings virtually. A cost of INR 25,000 was imposed for non-compliance with its directions. A subsequent report clarified that survey number 1564 is officially a lake, while survey number 2476, measuring 0.076 hectares, falls within the Hindon Air Field and is under Indian Air Force ownership.
The tribunal noted that records confirm the encroachment of survey number 1564 and directed immediate action to remove illegal construction and safeguard the waterbody. It also emphasized that proceedings before the Allahabad High Court, concerning property mutation, do not limit its ability to address environmental issues. Earlier investigations by a sub-divisional officer had found that entries in favour of Mahalaxmi Land and Finance Company were forged, and the deletions were later contested, reaching the High Court.
The NGT clarified that ownership disputes are separate from environmental questions. It maintained that hearings on the environmental aspect of the encroachment will continue and listed the matter for the next hearing on March 24, expecting updated reports and compliance from the district administration.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
