Bhopal: Encroachments Along Kaliasot-Kerwa Reservoirs 14 Months On, No Action Against Encroachers yet

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the state government has not yet issued notices to encroachers in Kaliasot and Kerwa dam reservoirs.

The administration has identified a total of 129 encroachments in the two areas and was supposed to initiate action against them. The State government had submitted an action taken report on September 13, 2022 informing the Tribunal about the notified encroachments.

The green body had sought the report on the petitions of green activists regarding the encroachment on the reservoirs. As per the action taken report, a total number of 96 encroachments/structures were found over the Kaliasot Reservoir, out of which 84 were structures on government land and 12 on private land.

The illegal structure included 58 houses/shanties, 7 structures owned by religious bodies. Similarly, a total of 33 encroachments/structures were identified at Kerwa Reservoir, out of which 18 were on government land and 15 on private land.

One satellite school and one power substation is also situated on the buffer zone. Petitioner Rashid Noor Khan said that only BMC administration has served notices but no action against the encroachers have been taken so far.

State government had submitted an action taken report to NGT in September 2022 but still no action has been taken against the encroachers despite the tribunal s direction, said the green activist.

Another petitioner Dr SC Pandey said, It is a very sorry state as even after the identification of encroachments around the water reservoirs, the state government has not issued notices to influential people who have encroached upon the government land. Only BMC has served notice on the encroachers but there were several lacunas and they didn t serve the purpose.