Residents to have say in norms for wedding garden

BHOPAL: In a major victory of sorts, residents of Bhopal and voluntary organizations will now have a say in case marriage gardens and restaurants being operated around the Upper Lake pollute the lifeline of the capital.
Underlining a sense of urgency the green panel ordered government agencies to draft rules before the start of marriage season for "granting permission to owners of marriage gardens, restaurants, hotels and hawkers selling eatables around the lake." This should be done within 10 days and implement the same within a fortnight.
On Monday, the central zonal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Town and Country Planning (TNCP) to notify draft rules on official website inviting suggestions from the common man hearing the petition filed by Neel Choudhary. Also, the TNCP would notify a suitable date when a joint meeting would be held with all stakeholders, including MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), TNCP, representatives of marriage gardens, restaurants, hawkers, concerned citizens, NGOs within 10 days to discuss the conditions for granting the permission, NGT directed.
"After the meeting, the draft with conditions to be incorporated in licence and permission letter may be finalised at the level of the municipal corporation and government within five days thereafter." The BMC on Monday submitted before the NGT bench "a site plan as directed by tribunal indicating the location of marriage gardens." MPPCB also informed that they are in the process of finalizing the environmental conditions for granting licences to marriage gardens.
Previously, joint inspection report filed by the MPPCB, TNCP and BMC in the NGT stated none among the 25 marriage gardens around the Upper Lake had taken pollution clearances or permission for marriages and related activities on their premises. The report also revealed that of 25 marriage gardens, 18 had not taken any permission from the TNCP while 21 had not procured a business licence from the civic body.
The 25 marriage halls surveyed were located at Fatehgarh, Khanugaon, Koh-e-Fiza, VIP Road, Lalghati, Sehore Naka and Bairagarh areas along the Lake. The petition was heard by Justice Dalip Singh and expert member Justice P S Rao.