National Green Tribunal
Amar Singh vs State Of U.P. & Ors on 8 December, 2025
Item No. 02 Court No. 2
BEFORE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI
Original Application No. 610/2025
Amar Singh Applicant
Versus
State of U.P. & Ors. Respondents
Date of hearing: 08.12.2025
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR TYAGI, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER
Applicant: None for the Applicant.
ORDER
1. Shri Amar Singh has sent by post the present letter petition to this Tribunal, which has been treated and registered as O.A. No. 610/2025 for exercise of suo moto jurisdiction in view of law laid down by Hon'ble Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha, (2022) 13 SCC 401.
2. The applicant has raised grievances regarding encroachment on pond in village Lodipur, Post Bharthipur, Tehsil Lambhua, District Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). The relevant part of the letter petition enumerating grievances of the applicant is reproduced as follows:-
xxx.......................................xxx.............................................xxx "विषयः विकायत पत्र िास्ते गाटा 89/0.8730 तालाब को ग्राम प्रधान ि ग्राम सविि (वसक्रेटरी) की वमली भगत से पाटकर व्यक्तिगत सडक ि प्रस्तावित इन्टर लाकीींग हेतु सरकारी धन के दु रूपयोग के सम्बन्ध में ।1
महोदय, सेिा में सविनय वनिेदन है वक प्रार्थीगण ग्राम लोदीपुर पोस्ट- भरर्थीपुर तहसील लम्भुआ विला सुल्तानपुर के वनिासी है िहााँ पर गाटा सींख्या 89/0.8730 हे० तालाब के रूप में दिज है विस पर गाटा 86 के दविणी वसरे के सामने वगरिािींकर िुक्ल ि राकेि कुमार पाण्डे य आवद ने ग्राम प्रधान ि ग्राम सविि की वमलीभगत से व्यक्तिगत सडक ि प्रस्तावित इन्टर लोवकींग के बहाने सैकडो टर ाली वमटटी JCB से खुदाई करके अपने दरिािे के सामने ित-प्रवतित तालाब को पाटकर सररया, िौिालय ि भुसौला आवद पक्के वनमाजण करा वलए है विसके कारण अब अगल बगल के घरो में िल वनकासी की समस्या पैदा हो रही है घर और दु आर डू ब रहे है। यह कायज न केिल पयाजिरण वनयमो का उलींघन है बक्ति िषाज िल सींियन, िैि विविधता और ग्रामीणोीं के आिश्यकता पर भी गींभीर प्रभाि डाल रहा है महोदय उि कायज पयाजिरण सींरिण अवधवनयम-1986, िल अवधवनयम-1974, उत्तर प्रदे ि िमीदारी उन्मूलन एक्ट, IPC धारा 431 ि िेटलैंड प्रोटे क्शन रुल 2017 आवद का घोर उलींघन है।
d. RG.
11-१-२०१० होदय आपका ध्यान इस ओर आकृष्ट कराना है वक ग्राम सभा लोदीपुर में आिागमन हेतु िकमागज सींख्या 248 से होते हुए पविम तरफ से गाटा सींख्या 81,82,75,86,87 ि 88 आवद से सािजिावनक आिागमन सुिार रूप से हो रहा है। इसी प्रकार पूरब तरफ से भी गाटा सींख्या 84,85 ि 227 आवद से भी सािजिावनक आिागमन सुिार रूप से हो रहा है परन्तु उि लोग VIP वदखने के -उद्दे श्य से सडक के नाम पर तालाब पाटने का घोर पाप कर रहे है और इस कृत्य में ग्राम प्रधान ि ग्राम सविि भी फिी िॉब काडज ि मनरे गा मिदू रो से िबरन धन उगाही (प्रवत मिदू र न्यूनतम 100 रूपये के रे ट से) करते हुए इन VIP लोगो की भरपूर मदद कर रहे है िूाँवक ये लोग दबींग, धनी ि उच्च पदावधकारी है विसके कारण लोगो की िुबान नहीीं खुल रही है परन्तु गााँि के लोग िनता के पैसे की खुली लूट से स्तब्ध ि हतप्रभ है और कहते है वक " समरर्थ को नहीीं दोष गोसाई" की कहाित िररत्ररार्थज हो रही है विसके कारण गााँि में भारी असींतोष ि तनाि व्याप्त है।
अतः आपसे अनुरोध है वक मामले की उच्च स्तरीय िााँि कराकर दोवषयो पर कठोर, दण्डात्मक ि अनुिासनात्मक कायजिाही करने की कृपा करे और तालाब गाटा 89/0.8730हे० को पूिज क्तिवत में (लगभग 6 वफट गहरा) बहाल करने की कृपा करे । नोट- विकायतकताज की िान माल की सुरिा को ध्यान में रखते हुए उसकी पहिान गुप्त रखना अवतआिश्यक है आपकी अवत महान कृपा होगी। " िनवहत याविका के रूप में स्वतः सज्ञान ले""
3. English translation of the relevant part of the letter petition quoted above made by the Registry of this Tribunal reads as under:-
"Subject: Complaint letter regarding Gram Pradhan and Village Secretary for misuse of government funds for filling up private roads and proposed interlocking with the connivance of the government for GATA 89/0.8730.
Sir, It is respectfully requested that the applicants are residents of village Lodipur, Post Bharthipur, Tehsil Lambhua, District Sultanpur, where land measuring 89/0.8730 hectares is registered as a pond. In front of the southern edge of plot 86, Girjashankar Shukla and Rakesh 2 Kumar Pandey, in connivance with the village head and village secretary, have dug out two trolleys of soil with a JCB under the pretext of constructing a personal road and proposed interlocking, and have filled up the pond in front of their doorsteps and have constructed concrete structures like iron rods, toilets, and earthen ramps, etc., due to which the problem of water drainage is arising in the neighbouring houses, and houses and doors are getting submerged. This act is not only a violation of environmental rules but is also having a serious impact on rainwater harvesting, biodiversity, and the needs of the villagers. Sir, the said act is in connivance with the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Water Act.
This is a gross violation of the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition Act, 1974, Section 431 of the Indian Penal Code and the Wetland Protection Rules, 2017, etc. Sir your attention is drawn to the fact that for transportation to Gram Sabha Lodipur, one can travel through detour number 248 from west side through plot number 81,82,75,86,87 and 88 etc public traffic is running smoothly. Similarly, from the east, through plots number 84, 85, and 227, public traffic is also running smoothly, but the above individuals with this objective to appear VIP, they are committing the grave sin of filling up the pond in the name of road and in this act, the village head and the village secretary are also helping these VIP people a lot by using fake job cards and forcibly collecting money from MNREGA labourers (at the rate of minimum Rs. 100 per labourer). Since these people are powerful, rich and high officials, due to which people are not able to speak out, but the villagers are shocked and astonished by the open loot of public money and say that the saying "Samarth ko nahi dosh Gosai" is being proved true due to which there is huge dissatisfaction and tension in the village. Therefore, you are requested to kindly conduct a high level inquiry into the matter and take strict, punitive and disciplinary action against the culprits and please restore the pond plot 89/0.8730 hectare to its previous condition (about 6 feet deep).
Note: Keeping the complainant's identity confidential is essential for the safety of his life and property. This would be a great kindness on your part. "Take suo motu cognizance of this as a public interest litigation."
4. The applicant has not appeared today personally or through authorized representative.
5. We have gone through the original application and documents attached with the same.
6. Prima facie the averments made in the application raise substantial questions relating to environment arising out of the implementation of the 3 enactments specified in Schedule-I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
7. In view of the averments in the application, we consider it appropriate to have response of (1) State of Uttar Pradesh through Principal Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of U.P. (2) District Magistrate, Sultanpur (3) Central Pollution Control Board through Member Secretary, (4) Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) through Member Secretary (5) Gram Panchayat, Lodipur, District Sultanpur, U.P. through its Sarpanch who stand impleaded as respondents No. 1 to 5.
8. The Registry is directed to prepare and attach memo of parties to the application and issue notices to the respondents.
9. Mr. Bhanwar Pal Singh Jadon, Advocate has appeared and accepted notices on behalf of respondents no. 1 and 2. The Registry is directed to issue notices to respondents No. 3 to 5.
10. Notice is ordered to be served on respondent no. 5 through District Magistrate, Sultanpur and for this purpose, notice issued to respondent no. 5 is ordered to be sent to the District Magistrate, Sultanpur through e- mail for getting service of the same effected on it and sending his report in this regard to this Tribunal within 15 days.
11. Responses by the respondents no. 1 to 5 may be filed within six weeks.
12. In view of the averments made in the application, we also consider it appropriate that a Joint Committee be constituted to verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action. Accordingly, we 4 constitute a Joint Committee comprising of representatives of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), UPPCB and District Magistrate, Sultanpur and direct the same to meet within two weeks, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action and submit its report within one month. The CPCB will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.
13. List on 09.02.2026 for further consideration.
14. The applicant may be informed about the next date of hearing fixed and be asked to join the proceedings physically or through V.C. on that date.
15. A copy of this order may be sent to the Member Secretary, CPCB, Member Secretary, UPPCB and District Magistrate, Sultanpur by email for requisite compliance.
Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM December 08th, 2025 Original Application No. 610/2025 AB 5