The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has shifted its focus from the Upper Lake to the Lower Lake in Bhopal, issuing a directive to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) to conduct an inspection. This follows multiple orders regarding encroachments and degradation of the Upper Lake. The NGT's central bench ordered the MPPCB to examine the Lower Lake, verify the petitioner's allegations of ongoing deterioration, and submit a comprehensive report accompanied by photographs with latitude and longitude coordinates to support their findings.
Petitioner's Allegations
The petitioner, Rashid Noor Khan, sought the green tribunal's intervention for the restoration of the Lower Lake. In his petition, he stated that due to a lack of protective efforts, areas adjacent to the lake are being encroached upon. He alleged that the lake's area is shrinking because boulders are being placed on its banks—a practice termed 'pitching'—by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) itself. Furthermore, he claimed that the water quality has deteriorated to such an extent that it is unusable for any purpose. Had the lake been properly maintained, it could have become another proud jewel of Bhopal, comparable to the Upper Lake.
Arguments Presented
Advocate Harshwardhan Tiwari, representing the petitioner, argued that the blatant encroachment within the 590-meter buffer zone of the Lower Lake is not the sole issue. A more significant problem is the worsening water quality caused by the discharge of untreated sewage into the lake. He contended that there are deliberate attempts to reduce the lake's area through the dumping of garbage, soil, and boulders, as well as the cutting of trees along the lake's periphery. Tiwari presented photographs of the lake's banks to the tribunal, claiming they clearly depict ongoing environmental damage and illegal activities within and around the buffer zone of the wetland. These images reportedly show illegal tree cutting, construction-related activities, disruption of the natural ecosystem, and other actions that adversely affect the Bhoj Wetland and its surrounding ecological area.
Tiwari further criticized the district administration, civic body, and environmental watchdogs such as the MPPCB, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation (EPCO) for showing no interest in protecting the Lower Lake from continuous degradation and restoring its former grandeur.
NGT's Response
After hearing the arguments, the NGT bench, comprising judicial member Pushpa Satyanarayan and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, issued notices to the district collector of Bhopal, the BMC, the MPPCB, the CPCB, the Department of Town and Country Planning (T&CP), the Ministry of Environment and Forest, and the State Wetland Authority. The tribunal has sought their responses and scheduled the next hearing for May 7, 2026.
