The Central Zone Bench – Bhopal of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed to maintain status quo order in the Minto hall premises, where convention centre is being constructed.
The NGT order came after Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) counsel in its reply told the bench that Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) has not taken any permission from them for building. After NGT passed the status quo order, construction was stopped immediately. However, the next hearing for the issue has been scheduled for October 27.
The NGT order came while hearing the petition of leader of Opposition in BMC Mohammad Sagheer who brought forward that during the conversion of Minto hall into convention centre, the agency hired for developmental work is trying to remove over 40 green trees in the premises which are about 25 feet high. Each tree has been pierced with over 30 nails on them with asafetida (heeng) to quicken up the drying process, which are situated around the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and main building.
During the hearing counsel for BMC added that the alleged trees which are reported to have been felled have in fact not been felled but they were old dead trees which had fallen down due to storm and only they were being removed by the Municipal Authorities.
Unhappy with the short reply, NGT asked the BMC to file a detailed reply, whereas MPTDC demanded for more time to reply. NGT asked both the agencies to submit circumstances under which the alleged development activity has been carried out including alleged felling of the trees in the area and also bringing of material for the said purpose on the site in question.
During the last hearing of case on October 4, NGT has served notices to state government agencies including, collector Bhopal and commissioner, Bhopal Municipal Corporation for letting palm trees in the premises of Minto hall dry by piercing nails in their trunks.