Ludhiana Civic body chief, LIT Chairman told to appear before NGT on October 23
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, as well as Chairman of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) to appear before the tribunal on October 23 in connection with the laying of solid interlocking tiles along roadsides.
A complaint was filed by city-based engineer Jaskirat Singh and Yogesh Maini with the NGT in this regard. In the reply submitted to the NGT, the Municipal Corporation was seen contradicting their statements.
The MC in its reply mentioned no interlocking tiles were installed within 1 meter radius of trees.
“Replacement of already installed interlocking tiles throughout the city with perforated tiles would impose substantial financial strain on the Municipal Corporation. In view of extensive financial implications involved, the MC will get approval for the installation of the perforated tiles during the upcoming meeting,” read its reply.
The civic body further mentioned that it has taken immediate and necessary steps to replace impermeable interlocked tiles with perforated tiles.
“As a preliminary measure, the Municipal Corporation has already approved estimate of Rs 49.70 lakh for laying perforated tiles in the west constituency of the district. Two separate estimates of Rs 1,98,240 each have been approved on September 11 for laying perforated tiles in the D3 and D4 sub-zones, respectively. Instructions have been issued to all field officials, mandating installation of perforated tiles on side berms of main roads, excluding commercial roads in future projects,” it added.
On the reply submitted by the MC, the NGT observed that on the one hand, the civic body says that no interlocking tiles had been installed around trees but on the other, it said steps had been taken for placing perforated tiles in place of impermeable interlocking tiles and simultaneously, it also added that the replacement of tiles throughout the city would put huge financial burden, for which steps were required to be taken.
Meanwhile, the LIT in its reply said the prohibited tiles had been removed but the applicants had placed on record its rejoinder affidavit, along with photographs, to show that in area within its jurisdiction interlocking tiles were still existing and had not been replaced.
In another letter submitted to the NGT by the applicants, it was mentioned that even the corporation was still continuing to lay cement concrete tiles near its Zone C office on Gill Road.
Members of the Central Bench of the NGT, Justice Sudhir Agarwal (judicial member) and Dr Afroz Ahmad (expert member), mentioned that the fact that appears from the reply submitted by the MC was that in the city, interlocking concretised tiles had been laid on road berms and also in prohibited areas surrounding trees but the same had not been removed or replaced with perforated tiles in entirety, therefore, the earlier order of the tribunal has not been complied with.
“The order of the NGT for removal of the concretised interlocking tiles had not been complied with in letter and in spirit and the MC and the LIT are guilty of violating the norms. Hence, the MC chief and the LIT Chairman are directed to appear in person before the Tribunal on October 23,” they said.
What the bench says
“The order of the NGT for removal of the concretised interlocking tiles had not been complied with in letter and in spirit and the MC and the LIT are guilty of violating the norms and hence, the MC Commissioner and the LIT Chairman are directed to appear in person before the Tribunal on October 23,” said members of the Central Bench of the NGT, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Dr Afroz Ahmad.
