Bhoj Wetland Encroachment ‘Worse Than Robbery, Dacoity’, NGT Slams Official Inaction In Bhopal

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has criticized the government's failure to prevent encroachment on public land, describing it as "a crime worse than robbery and dacoity." The tribunal expressed disappointment in authorities' inability to protect state property and take action against those responsible for illegal occupation. Unlike robbery or dacoity, where victims resist, encroachments on government land occur openly, within the sight of officials entrusted with protecting such assets.

The NGT noted that despite thousands of security personnel, armed police, and enforcement machinery including bulldozers, encroachments persist. During hearings concerning encroachment on the Bhoj Wetland, the tribunal referred to data from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, highlighting that approximately 546,000 hectares of forest land is under encroachment as of March 2025.

The tribunal also criticized administrative officials for delays in demolition actions against encroachers, emphasizing that government land cannot be considered ancestral property and thus cannot be arbitrarily granted for illegal settlements or constructions. The NGT called for accountability from officials of municipal bodies, semi-government agencies, and government departments whose negligence enables illegal construction and encroachment.

The tribunal echoed Supreme Court observations on illegal construction and encroachment in Delhi, stressing the necessity to assign responsibility within the system and take swift action against encroachers. The NGT has also emphasized the urgent need for a time-bound removal of illegal occupation from public land, including the Bhoj Wetland and other water bodies.

A detailed report on the proceedings is scheduled to be submitted before the next hearing on October 6.