NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has issued an interim order mandating the district magistrate to prevent any illegal construction within Sai Upvan, a 200-acre forest area located in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
The tribunal is addressing concerns regarding the declining state of the area, which faces several environmental challenges, being recognized as the city’s “lungs.”
In an order dated July 2, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad acknowledged claims made by the applicant’s advocate, Akash Vashishtha. He reported that despite the area being classified as a city forest according to the 2021-2031 master plan, the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam is allegedly engaging in “illegal construction” within it.
The tribunal noted that since the Nigam did not present itself at the hearing, the claims by the applicant remain uncontested.
It concluded, “Therefore, as an interim measure, we instruct the District Magistrate of Ghaziabad to ensure no illegal construction occurs in Sai Upvan until the next hearing on September 16.”
