NGT action on encroachments at Kerwa & Kaliyasot to revive Botanical Garden plans?

Bhopal: In its report on encroachments in the green belt around Kerwa-Kaliyasot reservoirs, the state govt admitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the Bhopal Development Plan, 2005 earmarked an area surrounding the reservoirs for a Botanical Garden and regional park and instructions have been given to work as per the plan. The report further said that as many as 96 encroachments have been identified in the no-construction zone in the areas around the two reservoirs and further action to remove them is underway.It was further added that the town and country planning (T&CP) district office at Bhopal has been directed to identify and demarcate the said area in accordance with the provisions of the Bhopal Development Plan.The state govt said that clause 2.57 of the Bhopal Development Plan, 2005, provides for reservation and development of an area surrounding the Kaliyasot and Kerwa reservoirs, measuring approximately 150 hectares, for establishing the Botanical Garden and regional park. The report was submitted by the counsel for the state govt Prashant M Harne during hearing on a petition on encroachments. The petition flagged blatant encroachments in the no-construction zones around the reservoirs and 150 hectare areas reserved for botanical gardens from the full tank level (FTL) of the reservoirs. The state govt's report said that T&CP department has requested the collector, Bhopal to kindly issue necessary directions to the revenue department for carrying out the demarcation of the land reserved for the botanical garden and regional park at the concerned site, in accordance with the provisions of the Bhopal Development Plan, 2005.The report refers to a meeting held at Mantralaya under the chairmanship of the deputy secretary, environment department on Feb 13, 2026, in compliance with the NGT, central bench, order in the case and said that a map depicting the land reserved for the proposed the botanical garden and regional park, as earmarked under the Bhopal Development Plan, 2005, has been prepared by superimposing the relevant Khasra records upon the coloured land use map of the Bhopal Development Plan, 2005.Referring to encroachments in the twin areas, it said that sixteen (16) constructions located within a radius of 33 meters from the FTL of the Kerwa Reservoir had been identified and communicated to the office through a letter dated 31.08.2023. Two of them are on govt land and 14 on private land. The revenue courts have ordered removal of encroachments on the govt land. With regard to the remaining 14 constructions located within the 33-meter FTL zone, the land is reported to be private land, and further action is required to be undertaken by the revenue department, the report said.The govt's reply further said that in the entire area during the course of field inspection, a total of 96 constructions/encroachments were identified in the concerned areas, comprising 84 encroachments over govt land and 12 constructions over private land. The nature of the encroaching structures identified in the area are: Samadhi (01), temples (07), Gaushala (01), temporary dairies (15), shanties ( 58), restaurants ( 05), game zone building (under construction) ( 01), Sakhali farm (01), pucca house ( 01), school (01), biodiversity shed ( 01) and roads ( 03).It further said that out of the encroachments identified on govt land, 15 temporary dairies have already been removed. Eviction warrants have been issued against a total of 69 encroachers, and a final opportunity up to Feb 13, 2025 was granted to the concerned parties to vacate the encroached land. It further said that 28 encroachments out of 69 encroachments were removed by the authorities on February 28, 2026.The report said that the process of removal of encroachments and restoration of govt land is ongoing and is being carried out in accordance with orders passed by competent revenue courts and applicable legal provisions.