Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Development Authority and Loni municipal council are locked in a jurisdictional dispute over responsibility for preventing encroachments on a green belt along Delhi-Saharanpur Road (NH-709B) in Prem Nagar. Both agencies have accused the other of shirking responsibility.In an affidavit to the NGT last week, GDA said its mandate is limited to planned development, zoning, regulation of land use and implementation of schemes within its notified area. It argued that protection, maintenance and restoration of the green belt are a shared responsibility and cannot be imposed on GDA alone.The dispute stems from a petition filed by Prem Nagar RWA seeking NGT intervention against alleged illegal constructions and encroachments on a 30-foot road and designated green belt on the national highway. The NGT, which has been hearing the matter for more than a year, issued initial compliance orders tracking development and master plan maps of the area. The principal bench subsequently directed the two civic bodies to submit accountability and factual position reports.In his affidavit filed June 20, GDA’s assistant engineer Rajeev Kumar stated that removal of encroachments, prevention of temporary occupation, municipal upkeep, sanitation, day-to-day field monitoring and local enforcement within municipal limits fall substantially within Loni municipal council’s jurisdiction. “GDA has no independent police machinery for continuous field enforcement,” Kumar said, adding that any coordinated action requires support from the DM and other competent authorities.Loni municipal council countered that approved colonies in the area — Indrapuri, Balramnagar, Giri Market, Rishi Market and Khannagar — were developed by GDA. The municipal council said a 30-foot road was reserved between the plots and green belt in the approved map, with construction completed by GDA. “Where there was temporary encroachment on the green belt, it was cleared. Where there is permanent encroachment, the responsibility of removing it lies with the authority,” the council stated in a letter.GDA objected to the characterisation, clarifying that the encroachments mentioned in the RWA petition are located on a different site, between Loni roundabout and Pavi Sadatpur on NH-709B. “Since the disputed site is vested in Loni municipal council, the maintenance of roads, sewers, drains, parks, green belts and open spaces is done by Loni council,” GDA said in its response to the municipal council’s letter.
