NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday ordered authorities to clear out encroachments from the green belt in Noida sector 48 within two weeks.A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore said that despite an order passed by the NGT in August 2018, the green belt area has not been fully cleared.
“Therefore, NOIDA is directed to take appropriate steps in compliance of the order of the tribunal so as to clear up the entire green belt in question,” the bench said.The green panel also said that the land cleared of encroachments and structures, not part of the master plan 2021 and 2031, should be immediately restored as a green belt by planting trees.
The NGT directions came on a plea filed by several residents of Noida sector 48. The belt had reportedly been damaged due to encroachment and excessive extraction of groundwater. The tribunal, in its 2018 order, had said, “All structures or constructions on the land in question shall be removed except those which have been marked in the layout plan or master plan of 2021 and 2031.”