National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday issued a notice to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for illegal constructions of seven buildings in the South-Central ridge (forest area).
While serving a notice to the JNU, NGT bench chaired by Justice Swatanter Kumar ordered the Delhi Development Authority(DDA), Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and Chief Conservator of Forest, Government of National Capital Territory (GNCT) to file reply in 15 days to clarify the grounds for permitting JNU administration for the construction of seven buildings.
The Pioneer had on May 12, 2016 reported that seven major buildings were erected on the fragile eco-zone on the JNU campus without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Notably, the ridge which covers around 7,777 hectares area was declared as a reserved forest in 1994 under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act 1927. And as per Supreme Court’s order any sort of pucca (concrete) construction on ridge is prohibited.
However, without taking the prior permission from Ridge Management Board, the university has constructed seven buildings. The buildings under the scanner are, 24 type -III flats for staff at Paschimabad, STP in Saraswatipuram, new hostel building near Shipra hostel, Trans-Disciplinary academic building and Yamuna hostel warden flats and dining hall on JNU campus. The buildings had come up during the last two to three years without the clearance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
NGT has also served a notice to All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and DElNET for constructing office buildings in JNU forest reserved area.
It is to be mentioned that a Delhi-based NGO CHETNA has filed a complaint against the JNU, NATGRID and CRPF for constructing illegal buildings on Delhi ridge and forest area without having EIA certificate.
Meanwhile, the NGT has also ordered to NGO to file a separate petition against CRPF and NATGRID as both the organisations are violating the crucial 1996 judgment of Supreme Court in which KTS Tulsi, learned Additional Solicitor General states that Union of India had undertaken to move the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from the ridge area by May 1996.