Archive · 31 Jan 2026
NGT Orders Removal Of Encroachment On Kaliyasot-Bhoj Wetland
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has told the officials in Bhopal to remove all illegal buildings and activities around the Kaliyasot-Bhoj Wetland.
They found 97 illegal structures and said the land for the botanical garden is not well protected.
The NGT is worried because the sewage treatment plants are not working properly, and this is harming the environment and animals like gharials and crocodiles.
The officials have to submit a report in two weeks and fix responsibility for the negligence.
The next hearing is on March 17.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the removal of encroachments on Kaliyasot-Bhoj Wetland and surrounding areas under the supervision of the Collector of Bhopal and Bhopal Municipal Commissioner.
A detailed action report with an affidavit must be submitted within two weeks, and departmental inquiries should be conducted against negligent officers.
The NGT expressed concern over non-operational sewage treatment plants, leading to untreated wastewater being released into reservoirs.
The case involves 97 encroachments in the Kaliyasot reservoir area, mostly on government land, and 150 hectares of land reserved for the botanical garden that is neither properly demarcated nor protected.
The tribunal noted that illegal activities harm the environment and endanger aquatic animals like gharials, crocodiles, and turtles, with recent sightings of these animals in residential areas posing risks to human life.
- Who
- National Green Tribunal (NGT), Collector of Bhopal, Bhopal Municipal Commissioner, Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, Green activists Dr Subhash C. Pandey and Rashid Noor Khan
- What
- NGT ordered the removal of encroachments on Kaliyasot-Bhoj Wetland and surrounding areas, including Kaliyasot and Kerwa reservoirs and green belts
- When
- The order was issued on Friday, with a detailed action report due within two weeks and the next hearing scheduled for March 17
- Where
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Why
- To protect public land, prevent environmental harm, and safeguard wildlife, including gharials, crocodiles, and turtles, from illegal activities
- Location
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
- Authorities Involved
- Collector of Bhopal, Bhopal Municipal Commissioner, Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh
- Encroachments Found
- 97 in Kaliyasot reservoir area
- Land Reserved for Botanical Garden
- 150 hectares
- Next Hearing Date
- March 17
- Key Petitioners
- Dr Subhash C. Pandey, Rashid Noor Khan
- Affected Wildlife
- Gharials, crocodiles, turtles
