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NGT to : Remove 692 Encroachments from Forest Land in 3 Months
The 's Central Zone Bench has issued a stringent set of directions to reclaim Bhopal's vanishing green cover, ordering the removal of hundreds of encroachments from forest land and roadside verges within three months.
A bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and Expert Member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi disposed of an application filed by senior environmentalist Dr. Subhash C. Pandey, who highlighted the rapid degradation of Bhopal's tree cover—from an estimated 35% in to just 6% in —and the unchecked on central and side verges of roads.
The Crisis Beneath the Canopy
The tribunal noted that Bhopal, once celebrated as one of India's greenest capital cities, is losing its ecological identity. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) , Bhopal district's forest cover stands at a mere 12.13% of its geographical area, with a decline of 0.54 sq km between and . More alarmingly, the state of Madhya Pradesh—which holds the largest absolute forest cover in the country—recorded a loss of 371.54 sq km in the same period, while the reported encroached forest area stood at a staggering 5,460.9 sq km as of .
The tribunal observed that the data furnished by the claiming an
increase
in Bhopal's forest cover was "wrongly calculated" and belied by the national ISFR findings.
"The data submitted by the Respondent that forest cover has increased is not correct,"
the bench stated, pointing out that the decrease in Moderately Dense Forest and increase in Open Forest was actually a sign of degradation.
A Blueprint for Reclamation
In a far-reaching order, the NGT directed the (BMC), the District Collector, and the to undertake a joint exercise to identify, demarcate, and evict all encroachments from forest land, green belts, and road verges. Key directions include:
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Eviction: Out of the 692 encroachments initially identified by the DFO, 51 remained as of the last report. The authorities have been ordered to remove all illegal encroachments within three months, with no exceptions for religious or residential structures if they are unlawful.
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GIS Mapping and Tree Census: The BMC must conduct high-resolution satellite imagery and drone surveys, followed by ground-truthing, to map the entire municipal area. A comprehensive tree census, with geo-tagging of every tree, must be carried out to create an accurate database.
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Afforestation with Native Species: Plantation must prioritize long-living indigenous trees such as Neem, Peepal, Jamun, Arjun, and Karanj. For central verges, ornamental native species of local origin are to be used. Compensatory plantations must be monitored for 15 years by a committee comprising forest, municipal, horticulture, and officials.
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Miyawaki Forests and Green Infrastructure: The BMC has been directed to consider amending its building bylaws to mandate that all vacant plots over 200 sq m allocate at least 25% of their area for dense Miyawaki plantations. Metro rail pillars must be fitted with vertical green facades, and metro stations must have 5-meter-deep perimeter green buffers. New commercial and residential buildings over 500 sq m must include green roofs or high-albedo cool roofs.
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No Concretization: The tribunal explicitly prohibited any paving or cement work in green belt areas, which must be maintained exclusively as
"lungs for the local residents."
A Swing at Official Apathy
The judgment did not spare errant officials. Citing orders in Loganathan v. State of Tamil Nadu (), the NGT warned that failure to comply with environmental laws would be treated as . The BMC Commissioner and the Collector have been directed to file personal detailing steps taken against officials under whose watch violations occurred.
"Public authorities acting in violation of constitutional or statutory provisions oppressively are accountable for their behaviour,"
the tribunal observed, adding that
"the
requires that decisions should be made by the application of known principles and rules."
The Road Ahead
The NGT has set up a monitoring mechanism: a committee headed by the Additional Collector will oversee quarterly progress, and the must submit district-wise reports on status. The matter has been marked for compliance reporting within three months, with the Registrar authorized to flag any violations.
For a city that once set a national example with its Capital Project Forest—established after the Union Carbide disaster—the tribunal's comprehensive directions offer a last chance to restore Bhopal's green legacy before it is lost to concrete and .
