Panel to draft rehab plan for families encroaching Ghaziabad ‘park’ land

Noida: A high-powered committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Ghaziabad district magistrate to formulate a rehabilitation scheme for removing encroachment on the park of Rajendra Nagar Industrial Colony. The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday granted the state govt more time for the same.There 172 illegal occupants who constructed small houses encroaching upon the park in question, some of whom had approached the High Court against the eviction proceedings and obtained relief.
The tribunal's principal bench, comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad, allowing the application for more time, fixed May 28 as the next date of hearing. The state counsel had sought more time to respond twice before, on Aug 29 and Nov 27, which was also allowed by the bench.On Nov 22, 2023, Sushil Raghav had filed an application against the state govt, raising the grievance that the park earmarked at Rajendra Nagar Industrial Colony in Sahibabad is being encroached by the municipal corporation. He also alleged the GMC is constructing a pathway on the land earmarked for the park and is also constructing a drain and shifting the boundary of the park by reducing the park area.In due course of the hearing, it was revealed that a substantial area of the park land was encroached by locals, and Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony was built on the plot illegally.State's counsel, through an affidavit dated Aug 27, 2025, filed on behalf of the special secretary, Urban Development Department, informed that eviction notices were issued to the encroachers on the park, but it was challenged through a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court. "The court initially directed the parties to maintain status quo by the order dated July 14, and the said order of status quo was reaffirmed by the order dated July 31," the state's counsel told the tribunal.On Aug 29, the counsel said during a hearing that, as per Section 26A(4) of the UP Urban and Planning Development Act, 1973, alternative land or accommodation is required to be provided to the members of the weaker section who encroached upon the public land before their removal."It is to be ascertained if an encroachment on the park, affecting the environment, can be permitted, or appropriate steps for removing the encroachment are required to be taken in accordance with law," he said, seeking time to come up with a decision taken by the state in this regard.The joint committee formed by the tribunal noted that the encroachment-free area of the park is 10,880 sqm, while Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony has been built on 7,120 sqm.