Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding building a highway encroaching upon the protected pond in south west district of Delhi, 04/04/2025
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News Item titled "NHAI has made highway at protected pond site in Delhi Activists" appearing in the Times of India dated 30.09.2024.
The application which was registered suo-moto, the Tribunal is examining the issue of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) illegally building a highway encroaching upon the protected pond in the south west district of Delhi. Allegation is that NHAI has built the urban extension road-II over the pond in Goyla Khurd village and the said pond is in the list of over thousands protected ponds.
The reply by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) affirms the allegation that NHAI has built the highway (flyover) over the pond in Goyla Khurd Village which is a listed water body under the Wetland Authority of India and it was handed over by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to the NHAI. No reply was filed by DDA.
Counsel representing DDA informed the court that in spite of six reminders, no clear instructions have been given to file the reply and that the senior officers - Deputy Director, Land Management and Executive Engineer, Engineering Department were required to remain present before the tribunal for assistance but that was not the case.
The NGT directed the Vice Chairman, DDA to appear virtually on the next date of hearing (August 8, 2025) and assist the tribunal. The NGT also expressed displeasure with the vague and cryptic reply filed by the NHAI, January 31, 2025. NHAI took the stand that acquisition proceedings in respect of village in Goyla Khurd were carried out by DDA in which NHAI had no role to play and it has complied with the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006. Counsel for NHAI submitted that a comprehensive reply on behalf of NHAI would be filed within four weeks.