Latest news with #Wetlands(ConservationandManagement)Rules
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Ambazari ‘Man-Made', Exempt from Wetland Tag: Collector Tells HC
Nagpur: The district administration informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Wednesday that the Ambazari Lake does not qualify as a notified wetland under central govt norms, defending the decision taken by the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on April 29. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The submission comes through an affidavit filed by collector Vipin Itankar in reply to objections raised by the petitioners in a PIL filed by Ramgopal Bachuka and others through counsel Tushar Mandlekar. The petitioners highlighted the devastating impact of the September 2023 floods, which caused extensive property damage and loss of life across Nagpur. Responding to specific allegations in the additional affidavit filed by 91-year-old Bachuka, the collector clarified that Ambazari Lake — though the largest in Nagpur — is a man-made reservoir built for drinking water and aquaculture. "As per MoEFCC guidelines (2020), such artificial water bodies are exempt from wetland notification," he noted, citing the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. The District Wetland Committee, formed on March 28, 2024, reviewed 71 water bodies, including Ambazari, and submitted its recommendations to the Maharashtra Environment Department on July 4, 2025. Itankar confirmed that the ministry of environment has already received scrutiny sheets and brief documentation for the same on March 26. The petitioners claimed that Ambazari was a designated wetland under ISRO's Wetland Inventory Atlas, alleging its neglect contributed to the September 2023 flooding that killed four citizens, damaged 26,612 private properties, and caused public loss worth Rs234 crore. While the collector did not confirm total losses, it acknowledged that Rs28.25 crore in ex-gratia relief was paid to 28,256 families at Rs10,000 per household. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Additionally, Rs4 lakh was paid to each of the four bereaved families. Petitioners also alleged that flood-affected zones included 143 localities, accusing the administration of issuing tenders for Rs21 crore in dam repairs without broader public consultation. The collector clarified that those tenders did not pertain to his office directly. A division bench comprising justices Nitin Sambre and Sachin Deshmukh adjourned the hearing for two weeks. The court is currently assessing the adequacy of govt responses to both disaster relief and long-term water body protection. The PIL argues for greater ecological safeguards in the wake of extreme weather events. BOX Collector's Reply on Ambazari Flood PIL - Ambazari Lake declared man-made, hence exempt from wetland notification under MoEFCC 2020 guidelines - District Wetland Committee formed on March 28, 2024; reviewed 71 water bodies, including Ambazari - Rs28.25 crore paid as relief to 28,256 families post September 2023 floods (Rs10,000 per family) - 4 deaths reported; Rs16 lakh compensation given (Rs4 lakh each) - Public losses claimed: Rs234 crore (not verified) by petitioners - Ambazari excluded from wetland list as it's used for drinking water & aquaculture
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
DTC building bus terminal on encroached land, says NGT
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently ordered the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to halt the construction activity at the proposed bus terminal in Najafgarh, south-west Delhi, stating that the terminal is being built on the encroached water body. The DTC was instructed to respond within two weeks. The Principal Bench of the NGT comprising Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A. Senthil Vel, said, in an order dated July 4, that the DTC has encroached the water body by constructing a bus terminal and a multi-storey commercial building on the land. The District Magistrate (South West) informed the tribunal that 'no clearance had been given' for construction on the land. In an affidavit submitted to the NGT, the DM said, 'the said land is recorded as johar (water body) and at present a bus terminal constructed on it. The water body has been encroached upon by the DTC.' The affidavit also mentioned that there was no record of any change of land use or no-objection certificate from the Forest Department, which is in violation of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. The NGT also noted that no reply has been filed by the Managing Director of the DTC and granted two-week extension to file replies.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
NGT directs DTC to halt construction on Najafgarh pond land
New Delhi: National Green Tribunal ( NGT ) has directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to immediately stop construction activities on a designated water body in Najafgarh, southwest Delhi, following allegations of illegal encroachment. According to the plea before the tribunal, DTC constructed a terminal and a multi-storey commercial building on a gram sabha-owned pond (johar) without obtaining necessary clearances. The district magistrate of south-west Delhi later confirmed that the land in question is a recorded water body and no legal approval had been granted for the construction. In an order dated July 4, a bench led by NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava observed that the 30 bigha and 5 biswa plot had been encroached upon, in violation of environmental norms. The tribunal noted that no Change of Land Use (CLU) approval or No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Forest Department had been submitted for the project. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The NGT also pointed out that the land falls under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, which restrict activities like construction and land conversion on notified wetlands. DDA informed NGT that the pond was handed over to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (now MCD) in 2016, and that the civic body is responsible for its upkeep. The tribunal ordered: "All the concerned respondents are granted two weeks' time to file their replies. Till the next date of hearing, DTC shall ensure that no further construction is carried out on the water body in question." TNN
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Lake protection: Kerala HC proposes formation of Ashtamudi wetland authority
Kochi: High court on Thursday proposed the formation of the Ashtamudi Local Wetland Authority (ALWA) to implement the management plan for Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. The bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji was considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Adv Boris Paul and others, which highlighted that the depletion and deterioration of the Ashtamudi wetlands are due to multiple factors, including pollution from drainage discharge and encroachments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The petitioners emphasised the need for an authority other than the State Wetland Authority of Kerala (SWAK) to oversee the conservation and protection of the lake. Initially, the state govt opposed the suggestion, contending that the constitution of a separate authority other than SWAK may not be necessary. However, considering the current condition of Ashtamudi Lake, which is a notified Ramsar site, the court concurred with the petitioners' suggestion. A Ramsar site is a wetland identified as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands which is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The court, meanwhile, also took note of the petitioners' point that the indiscriminate discharge of sewage and solid waste from residential areas and commercial establishments into the lake has been a major concern. HC observed that, in addition to the general supervision by the state wetland authority, specific attention through a dedicated authority or committee for the Ashtamudi wetland is necessary. It further directed the state govt to clarify whether an integrated management plan has been prepared for the Ashtamudi wetland, as envisaged under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and the guidelines of the Ramsar Convention. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was also suggested that the members of ALWA may be drawn from various departments. The court stated that the environment department principal secretary shall finalise the composition of the committee and recommend one expert each in wetland ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning and socio-economics, along with two experts in wetland management, preferably with expertise related to the Ashtamudi wetland. The principal secretary shall file an affidavit indicating the procedure by which the Authority will function. Accordingly, HC adjourned the petition to July 1.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Wetlands shrinking rapidly in Kerala, fallout can be terrible
1 2 Kochi: Wetlands in Kerala shrank from 2.35 lakh hectares in 1990 to 1.6 lakh ha by 2011, notes S Girija Kumari, head of the University Institute of Technology, Kayamkulam, in the Feb edition of forest department's magazine Aaranyam. She cited unchecked urbanisation, relentless consumerism and an ever-growing appetite for luxury as the reasons for its rapid depletion. With paddy giving way to commercial crops, wetlands' fabric also altered significantly, the report notes. Scientists say, as with the new Aranmula project, wetlands will shrink further, sometimes with the dilution of laws. "Paddy is supposed to be a wetland crop controlling hydrology in an area," said State Wetland Authority (SWA) former member K K Ramachandran. "Unfortunately, Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules was reissued in 2017 which changed its definition in effect excluding paddy fields from that purview. We don't have a database to gauge the extent of wetlands reclaimed in each timeline. Kerala govt initially decided to classify wetlands of 2.5ha and above. However, it was found that a large number fall under that classification. But I understand that the govt asked to identify only the largest 40 wetlands. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em São Paulo (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo The govt is delaying the process of notifying the wetlands' inventory. It seems they are set to notify 20 wetlands first. However, I'm doubtful since SWA is not serious about enforcement of powers," he said. National Centre for Earth Science Studies ex-scientist K V Thomas said Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act was largely diluted, benefiting both politicians and businessmen mutually. "Earlier, the act allowed reclaiming wetland and paddy fields by a poor family to construct a house. With the extent of area increased, anyone can reclaim the land. The Act's dilution happened twice in the last eight years. Similar dilutions happened in the CRZ Act too, where Pokkali fields' definition was removed from it. It resulted in a large wetland network being excluded from the protection of CRZ notification. Wetlands and paddy fields are flood plains. When an ecosystem's continuity is lost through reclamation, flooding — whether downstream/upstream — will be a threat. Groundwater recharge will be affected and temperature will rise due to construction," warned Thomas. State Biodiversity Board chairman N Anil Kumar said. "Reclamation of ecologically important places will affect fish breeding grounds. Wetlands attract migratory birds which fly thousands of kilometres for breeding. If there is no healthy system for its breeding, it will further impact their population. The local conversion has a global impact. Ramsar sites are declared for that purpose. It's important to declare more wetlands as Ramsar sites," he said.
