NGT Gives Bhopal Authorities Final Three Weeks To Submit Shahpura Lake Survey Report As Four Tehsil Jurisdictions Delay Joint Inspection

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Administrative coordination among four tehsil jurisdictions has delayed the joint inspection of Shahpura Lake and its surrounding areas, the Madhya Pradesh government told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) during a hearing on Friday.

The tribunal granted the authorities concerned a final three weeks to submit their detailed investigation reports and directed all respondents to file their replies within the same period. The next hearing has been scheduled for Nov 27.

The NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of reports alleging that the lake's stop dam was damaged to drain its water. A separate petition filed by Nitin Saxena against the Madhya Pradesh State Wetland Authority and others has also been tagged with the matter.

During the hearing before a bench comprising Justice Shiv Kumar Singh and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, the applicant's counsel alleged that administrative authorities were unnecessarily delaying compliance with the tribunal's directions and had failed to submit the final report.

Appearing for the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), advocate Parul Bhadoria submitted a status report stating that demarcation and identification of the lake and its surrounding areas had been completed following the collector's directions.

The state government's counsel told the tribunal that Shahpura Lake and its adjoining areas fall under three to four different tehsil jurisdictions. Consequently, coordinating with all tehsildars and officials concerned for a joint site inspection had taken additional time.

The government assured the tribunal that the survey report was almost ready and would be submitted within three weeks. The NGT also directed all other respondents to submit their respective replies within the stipulated period, ahead of the Nov 27 hearing.