The National Green Tribunal has questioned the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike on stormwater drain wall construction near Madiwala Lake. Simultaneously, the tribunal is pushing for urgent legacy waste clearance in Poonch and investigating illegal mining compliance in Uttar Pradesh.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has opened scrutiny into infrastructure projects and waste management practices across three different regions, highlighting ongoing regulatory pressure on local municipal bodies. In Bengaluru, a bench led by Justice Prakash Shrivastava has sought a formal response from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) regarding retaining walls built alongside stormwater drains near Madiwala Lake. The tribunal is investigating whether these concrete structures, which extend above ground, inadvertently obstruct natural water flow and worsen local flooding rather than preventing it.
The BBMP, in a recent affidavit, maintained that these RCC retaining walls span approximately 2.5 kilometers and were designed to channelize stormwater effectively. However, the tribunal's intervention follows concerns about the discharge of sewage into drains linked to residential developments. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board has presented photographic evidence to the court, and the BBMP now has four weeks to justify the design and impact of these structures based on historical revenue records.
In a separate matter, the NGT has intensified its oversight of the Municipal Corporation of Poonch regarding the management of legacy waste near the River Poonch. The tribunal has mandated that the corporation submit a clear timeline for waste removal, expressing concern over reports that waste may simply be leveled rather than processed. The corporation has acknowledged that legacy waste remains on-site, with a contract involving M/s Lord Shiva Enterprises still in the pending stages. The local administration is now under orders to ensure strict compliance with Solid Waste Management rules to prevent toxic leachate from contaminating the river during the monsoon season.
Separately, the tribunal has voiced dissatisfaction with the Uttar Pradesh Geology and Mining Directorate regarding the handling of illegal mining cases in Baghpat district. The NGT noted that previous reports submitted by the Directorate were procedurally flawed, lacking official signatures and authorized affidavits. The court has directed the Directorate and the District Magistrate to expedite mine closure procedures and ensure the proper utilization of funds collected from entities such as Smart Mart Stores, which were previously tasked with environmental restoration through plantation drives. These ongoing regulatory actions underscore a broader trend of stricter judicial monitoring over municipal and environmental compliance, which can often impact the pace of local infrastructure projects and require municipal bodies to dedicate more resources toward remediation and reporting.