The Ghaziabad administration has ‘failed’ to restore the Arthala Lake from the encroachers despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders.

The NGT in its order of 2016 said the State Government and the concerned authorities, including the District Magistrate, shall take steps to remove the encroachments from the area.

It said the Chief Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh shall pass appropriate orders in relation to the authorities in whose name the land stands, for removal of encroachments and for protection of the water bodies, pond. The Chief Secretary shall also take a final view and pass appropriate orders to restore Arthala Lake in original form.

It was also stated that all the concerned authorities would be liable to be prosecuted in the event of default of compliance to the direction.

The District Magistrate, Ghaziabad is directed to file a compliance report within a period of 3 months.

“I have the definite information that the administration sent its demolition squad to raze the encroachment around the lake but returned after public protest.  In the meantime the local land grabbers who sold the land to the illiterate migrants have started collecting Rs. 5000 from each of encroachers to settle the dispute,” said Akash Vashishtha the lawyer and environmentalist who filed the petition with NGT.

“350 structures were identified to be razed from Arthala Lake. Orders of NGT are to be executed before November 6, now two months and 10 days already have passed but no action has been taken so far so it seems impossible to execute NGT order in remaining 20 days,” said Akash Vashishtha.

When district magistrate Ritu Maheswari didn’t reply to the queries of the correspondent regarding the action taken by the administration.