A Bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Uttar Pradesh government, Ghaziabad Development Authority and others seeking their reply by October 25 on the rampant dumping of waste and encroachment on Arthala Lake located close to the Hindon river in Ghaziabad.
The order came while hearing a plea by NGO SPEnBIO seeking removal of all illegal constructions and encroachments on the lake and restoration of the water body to its natural form.
The petition has alleged that a distillery and hospital are discharging untreated effluents into the Arthala lake. “The encroachments, illegal constructions and unauthorised occupation on Arthala Lake are resulting in environmental degradation and causing hazard to public health. Dumping of solid waste and biomedical waste in Arthala Lake and industrial effluents discharged from Mohan Meakin Ltd. was causing groundwater contamination, further decimating the very lake which has shrunk to almost half of its original size," the plea submitted.
The NGO has contended that residents of the area have lodged several complaints about encroachments on the Arthala Lake with the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam, the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police, but no action has been taken against the violators.
