Item No. 11 Court No. 1 BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI Original Application No. 176/2023 Rohit Padha Applicant Versus Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir Respondent Date of hearing: 17.12.2024 CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER Applicant: Mr. Rohit Padha, Applicant in Person (Through VC)

Respondents: Mr. Atif Suhrawardy, Adv. for CPCB (Through VC) Mr. Ghansham Singh, Member Secretary, J&K PCC (Through VC)

ORDER

1. This original application was registered on the basis of a letter petition by one of the residents of Udhampur raising the issue of illegal encroachment on the Bank of river Devika in District Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir. It was alleged that on account of such encroachment, natural flow of the river and flora and fauna of the river of nearby area was adversely affected.

2. The Tribunal by order dated 28.04.2023 while entertaining the letter petition had formed a joint Committee with a direction to the joint Committee to visit the site, collect relevant information and submit a factual report.

3. The joint Committee had submitted the report dated 31.07.2023. The report of the joint Co