Ghaziabad: National Green Tribunal has sought details from Ghaziabad Development Authority over a demolition plan on land off GT Road in Rajendra Nagar industrial area earmarked for a park but encroached upon by Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony and nine industrial units.In 1962, a private developer had got the colony’s layout passed by the improvement board, now GDA. As per the layout plan, 12,040 sqm of land in the area was earmarked as a park. Over the years, roads leading to nine factories were created within the park land. Later, a colony, Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony, also came up on 2,864 sqm, comprising 172 dwelling units.A petition was filed in NGT in 2023, following which, in July last year, GDA issued an eviction notice to the dwellers. The green panel had also sought to know from GDA and the district administration the rehabilitation plan. A survey of the site was conducted by Enforcement Wing of GDA and, on its basis, 172 families and nine factories were found occupying the park land.The principal bench of NGT, comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad, in an order dated Sept 10, stated that as per the progress report filed by GDA, details of action taken for rehabilitation of the 172 families had been disclosed, but details regarding removal of the encroachment by the nine factories had not been.A GDA official said, “Only the roads were constructed by these nine factories on the park land and the factories are located outside the park land. We further submitted in the NGT that the road constructed by nine factories has been demolished, while a survey conducted by the enforcement wing of the GDA found that 172 families are living in the colony and eviction notices have been served to them.”Petitioner Suhil Raghav said the eviction notices were served by GDA last year, but the residents got a stay in the matter from Allahabad high court, which he said had probably halted GDA in its move to demolish the illegal colony.“The NGT has now sought details from GDA by way of an affidavit clarifying its position, along with the supporting material, within four weeks, on the status and the extent of demolition that has been carried out so far,” Raghav added. The matter is scheduled to be heard again on Dec 10.
